Perhaps Martin Shkreli could be the person that Donald Trump shoots when he aims down Broadway, without losing any votes. Solve two problems at once.
51
Hillary Clinton is our Nixon.
13
I think that many people are missing the connection the Martin Shkreli is nothing more than a young Donald Trump.
31
The kid is a sociopath, and though your column is appropriate, I got mad at NPR for almost celebrating this little B-school creature in their recent coverage. We hate him and follow him because he is us. If you work for or profit from Big Pharma or a for-profit insurer, you are him. It is merely a matter of degree. Hating him gives us a scapegoat for the worst of US-style Capitalism.
12
The real reason that Carly isn't in the debate is that she is really Martin Shkreli. Think about it; have you ever seen them in the same Tiffany's at the same time?
If they aren't the same person, then maybe they're really closely related. The smirk, the steely-eyed self assurance, the lethal combo of stupidity and pride, the colossal arrogance that only ill-gotten and undeserved wealth can make of the sub-mediocre. No, I know, that hardly distinguishes her from the republican rugby team on offer this cycle, but it make explain the otherwise inexplicable exclusion of Carly. Course, there's Reince Priebus ... remember him?
If only the above-mentioned disreputable republican scrum [sic] could bring the American people together ...
If they aren't the same person, then maybe they're really closely related. The smirk, the steely-eyed self assurance, the lethal combo of stupidity and pride, the colossal arrogance that only ill-gotten and undeserved wealth can make of the sub-mediocre. No, I know, that hardly distinguishes her from the republican rugby team on offer this cycle, but it make explain the otherwise inexplicable exclusion of Carly. Course, there's Reince Priebus ... remember him?
If only the above-mentioned disreputable republican scrum [sic] could bring the American people together ...
15
And have you seen and heard Carly's husband speak? How the two of them ever got together and what they see in each other would be a column, or a book all by itself. For a therapist.
3
Gee, Gail, you're really great writing by yourself. Hope they don't stick with jerks again. And thanks for the Nora the Cat tip. Best media I'm going to see all week.
4
May Shkreli kidneys fail.
14
" And what rough beast, its hour come around at last, Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?" from " The Second Coming" by W. B. Yeats
Santorum? Trump? Clinton? Fiorina? Rubio? Bush? Cruz? Carson? Christie? Kasich? Sanders?
There is nothing new about New Hampshire.
Santorum? Trump? Clinton? Fiorina? Rubio? Bush? Cruz? Carson? Christie? Kasich? Sanders?
There is nothing new about New Hampshire.
3
A fitting punishment for Martin Shkreli would be to infect him with the diseases that he hoped to make huge profits from then make him pay for those drugs with a minimum wage job. There's no justice of course and Congress picked him out only because he was already fodder in the tabloids. And Martin Shkreli is just stupid enough to be arrogant in public. There are thousands of others just like him.
32
Thank you, Mr. Shkreli, for giving us a glimpse of what the world would be like without regulations. In the good old American fashion, you have found a way to profit from our "freedom" and set yourself up to make an absurd amount of money any regard for the social consequences. My question is: is this the world we want?
38
Martin Shkreli is the creation of 40 years of Reagonomics and the only thing that is valued is how much money you can make in the shortest amount of it. How many of these sycophants have been created? most of the CEO's on Wall Street! Then there is the corporate CEO who throw their wife's 2 million $$ birthday parties. How many are there? all of them are above the laws if there are any laws out there that are enforced for these sycophants anymore.
Conglomerates that were created since the war are consolidating, merging, inverating, and turning summer sults with all the cash they are raking in by not paying taxes and the subsidies congress have given them to continue doing so.
I hold supremes, congress, president and the media responsible. The media has been failing (they would get a F). But then the media is one of these conglomerate owned by a few (less than 10 people) who are raking in the $$$$$$$$$$$ from this decadent election cycle without accountability, no exposure of lies, they create the circus and flowing of money from all these moneyed interests.
Conglomerates that were created since the war are consolidating, merging, inverating, and turning summer sults with all the cash they are raking in by not paying taxes and the subsidies congress have given them to continue doing so.
I hold supremes, congress, president and the media responsible. The media has been failing (they would get a F). But then the media is one of these conglomerate owned by a few (less than 10 people) who are raking in the $$$$$$$$$$$ from this decadent election cycle without accountability, no exposure of lies, they create the circus and flowing of money from all these moneyed interests.
17
Public whippings need to be brought back. "L'exécution de la punition du fouet" for Shkreli for being Shkreli. For Marco Rubio for missing the Senate, missing School , this guy might now show up if he wins the nomination. Also a big whipping for Donald Trump for getting stupid. And I mean their posteriors being bared for punishment and the instrument should be something akin to a cat-o'-five-tails ind the hands of a 320 pound NFL lineman. In the background the audience, dressed in their hats and fine clothes.
8
So Gail, you have failed to bash Kasich and Sanders: does that mean they have your support over all others? Is that your political line?
It would be so much better if this silly pre-election rat-race made even an iota of sense, but it doesn’t.
America and Americans need a lot of help and it is difficult to see from whence it will come.
It would be so much better if this silly pre-election rat-race made even an iota of sense, but it doesn’t.
America and Americans need a lot of help and it is difficult to see from whence it will come.
3
Why is this man treated with courtesy and respect? His blatant disregard for his fellow human being makes him ineligible for any courtesy. One would hope that somewhere, somehow, SOMEONE is searching for a way to repay him in kind by removing his motivating force MONEY!! There must be a way this man can be reached through his bank account and profit. It seems too bad he can't absorb a painful financial loss similar to the pain he has chosen to inflict upon other innocent bystanders to his greed...
11
"Plus, I believe I speak for many people when I say that it is not a good sign when you have to drag in your 90-year-old mother."
Yee-yaWWW-Heee!! This campaign season's Collinmeme. Maybe an imaginative word choice away from ranking right there with ... "... dog on the roof" -- beloved by all political punsters.
Yee-yaWWW-Heee!! This campaign season's Collinmeme. Maybe an imaginative word choice away from ranking right there with ... "... dog on the roof" -- beloved by all political punsters.
8
Has Shkreli ever thought of a career in politics? He's a uniter, not a divider.
14
Shkreli - the face of free market capitalism - profit at any cost and without accountability!
15
NOT GOLDMAN SACHS
Clinton's second greatest worry
is not Goldman Sachs
It's debating clever Bernie,
And anxiety attacks.
Cruella de Vil vs Santa Claus
Debating for the duration
Should give the Clinton Machine great pause
We're not 101 dalmatians.
6
I thought Hilary's 'Goldman' reply was a great zinger and an honest American answer! Come on, folks, we'd all do the same and be happy to unload a bit of their 'gold'.
17
Mr. Shkreli's appearance getting me thinking that it is time to have the government taking over the manufacturing of drugs. Naked capitalism is ugly. Maximizing profits is the number one priority, not saving lives. If congress is serious about the issue of price gouging of life-saving drugs, it's time we take a hard look at the drug companies in this country.
12
Two things.
One, the drug Martin Shkreli jacked up the price of, Pyrimethamine, is more for toxoplasmosis than anything else, though it is effective for some H.I.V.-related infections when combined with other drugs.
Two, while I don't plan to vote for Jeb Bush, it's clear in the "Please clap" video that he's making a wry little joke about when to clap, cuing the audience that he's made his point. It's odd how easily people see intended humor in those they like, yet ignore it and get literal when it suits them.
One, the drug Martin Shkreli jacked up the price of, Pyrimethamine, is more for toxoplasmosis than anything else, though it is effective for some H.I.V.-related infections when combined with other drugs.
Two, while I don't plan to vote for Jeb Bush, it's clear in the "Please clap" video that he's making a wry little joke about when to clap, cuing the audience that he's made his point. It's odd how easily people see intended humor in those they like, yet ignore it and get literal when it suits them.
6
Without down ballot support and mutual endorsement of fundamental issues Bernie and Hill are splitting the Party and feeding the Republican Machine before the general election. Not a smart move. The battle cry and strategy of Koch is divide and conquer, why are Hill and Bernie playing their game? it's a non starter.
7
With the exception of Sanders, 2016 has become the "how low can we go" election.
19
"It is what it is, and you’re going to have to take it or leave it."
Let's look behind the shibboleth.
Aristotle always helps. Explanations--revelations--of what something IS, must make plain four aspects--
1. The material composing it. In this case the actual words she spoke and will "look into" revealing. Sneaky GC dosn't think for a minute any speech content will ever be revealed. And so once again HRC is caught lying--well most probably. Any bets?
2. How it came about. "They offered" she said. Out of the blue? No windup before the pitch? Who believes that?
3. Where it's going--it's purpose, function. This couldn't be a down payment for future services, could it?
4. What it is called (in a classification system). What do they call payments to public officials--way beyond their actual pay. Payments to ensure they will favorably do their job--instead of stalling or whatever. Or payments to ensure they won't do their jobs--like police officers not giving you the well deserved ticket--but on a tremendously higher scale.
Let's look behind the shibboleth.
Aristotle always helps. Explanations--revelations--of what something IS, must make plain four aspects--
1. The material composing it. In this case the actual words she spoke and will "look into" revealing. Sneaky GC dosn't think for a minute any speech content will ever be revealed. And so once again HRC is caught lying--well most probably. Any bets?
2. How it came about. "They offered" she said. Out of the blue? No windup before the pitch? Who believes that?
3. Where it's going--it's purpose, function. This couldn't be a down payment for future services, could it?
4. What it is called (in a classification system). What do they call payments to public officials--way beyond their actual pay. Payments to ensure they will favorably do their job--instead of stalling or whatever. Or payments to ensure they won't do their jobs--like police officers not giving you the well deserved ticket--but on a tremendously higher scale.
4
Gail, you forgot to mention that Martin Smirk-reli tweeted about the Congressmen being "imbeciles" after he pleaded the Fifth and left the hearing:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/05/business/drug-prices-valeant-martin-sh...
It's as is if he is really, really trying hard to be hated by every single person in the United States. So far, his plan seems to be working!
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/05/business/drug-prices-valeant-martin-sh...
It's as is if he is really, really trying hard to be hated by every single person in the United States. So far, his plan seems to be working!
13
Well, he has my vote for that.
7
I'm disappointed Collin's didn't advance the idea that Cruz paid off Jindahl to endorse Rubio. Not that I'm a conspiracy buff, but if I were (God forbid!) Cruz, that's what I would have done. And, of course, now that he has collected from Cruz for endorsing Rubio, Jindahl can go to Rubio and say, "OK, how much you gonna give me to stop endorsing you?"
As to Shkreli, he's just the current Congress' version of their "investigation" into steroids in baseball: a circus to make them appear as if they can get along and actually do something. Myself, I'd vote for Barry Bonds over any of the Republican candidates. At least he walks the walk, not just talk the talk, producing results, however he does it.
As to Shkreli, he's just the current Congress' version of their "investigation" into steroids in baseball: a circus to make them appear as if they can get along and actually do something. Myself, I'd vote for Barry Bonds over any of the Republican candidates. At least he walks the walk, not just talk the talk, producing results, however he does it.
7
Why is it okay for people to be paid millions to play football, but a highly experienced, very intelligent leader like HRC is begrudged making a lot for giving speeches. Famous people get a lot of money to talk to groups. Doesn't mean she will be beholden to any group willing to pay a lot for her time.
We should be suspicious of all politicians, period.
We should be suspicious of all politicians, period.
27
There are many policy issues where I wish Sec. Clinton had stands closer to my own, however, I can find reasons to defer to her demonstrated pragmatism honed throughout years of being in the fight for the main points of the Democratic platform.
I am puzzled by the discussion of the paid speeches. Sec. Clinton's detractors should bluntly say Goldman Sachs bought Sec. Clinton's support for their agenda for $675,000 or the discussion should end. No more "wink and nod" implying a quid pro quo given or yet to come.
The whole discussion of paying politicians or their senior advisors "Big" money to share their thoughts with a private audience is complicated by the long tradition of the fortunate from both parties moving from public service to well-compensated positions funded by the grateful. The made-up senior-level positions in "think-tanks", privately-funded "visiting professorships", political party funded outreach to identity groups which offer the illusion of employment means that no political party has hands clean enough to criticize Sec. Clinton's speeches.
We voters can decry the whole system of how those with the power to influence the laws which govern our lives are compensated beyond what we taxpayers pay them. We cannot pick and choose which types of extra compensation we will find -to our faux shock and surprise--unacceptable.
I am puzzled by the discussion of the paid speeches. Sec. Clinton's detractors should bluntly say Goldman Sachs bought Sec. Clinton's support for their agenda for $675,000 or the discussion should end. No more "wink and nod" implying a quid pro quo given or yet to come.
The whole discussion of paying politicians or their senior advisors "Big" money to share their thoughts with a private audience is complicated by the long tradition of the fortunate from both parties moving from public service to well-compensated positions funded by the grateful. The made-up senior-level positions in "think-tanks", privately-funded "visiting professorships", political party funded outreach to identity groups which offer the illusion of employment means that no political party has hands clean enough to criticize Sec. Clinton's speeches.
We voters can decry the whole system of how those with the power to influence the laws which govern our lives are compensated beyond what we taxpayers pay them. We cannot pick and choose which types of extra compensation we will find -to our faux shock and surprise--unacceptable.
22
As America looks at the republican field it is truly "loathe the one you're with" This was once a party willing to govern, now having sold its soul to billionaire tax cuts it literally refuses to consider the great needs of our time science, education, immigration, infrastructure, emergency preparedness, injustice and inequality and climate change . Their strategy is to win by finding a puppet who can master talking points to nowhere and present himself as the anti-Hillary whom they have pummeled with every last sling and arrow they could find in her many years of public service. This may indeed be the winning strategy given the electoral college, voter suppression, relentless negative advertising and the fact that only 30% of us voted in the last congressional election- but the consequences for our children will go well beyond fear and loathing if any of this unseemly cast of characters happens to get elected.
18
Donald Trump's speaking fee is i over an million bucks. But let's pick on the woman.
38
What an interesting assortment of republican male reproductive organs on display recently...Jeb!, Ted, Martin, Mario, Donald J.....What strikes me most about Jeb is that he actually would schlep his mother into the campaign. I can hardly stand the tension waiting for Trump's rejoinder. Add to these soft crimes the reluctance of the congressional oversight committee to help Flint. Our government is in an increasingly worrisome downward spiral.
11
Let's all hold hands as we jump the shark together.
4
These are indeed dark days for - WAIT FOR IT! - "the party of Abraham Lincoln". It's hard to write that with a straight face.
What will they do now? As far as the presidency is concerned, they're dead. Even if Donald Trump's candidacy were to finally to self-destruct, none of the rest of the contenders have a molecule of the gravitas necessary to win the Big Prize. The American people (I think) learned a very powerful lesson from the catastrophe of the Bush years. When a party is able to somehow puke up a clown car full of of contestants who manage to make Dubya seem like a moderate, then it's time to strike the tents, fold up the chairs and go home.
http://www.tomdegan.blogspot.com
Tom Degan
What will they do now? As far as the presidency is concerned, they're dead. Even if Donald Trump's candidacy were to finally to self-destruct, none of the rest of the contenders have a molecule of the gravitas necessary to win the Big Prize. The American people (I think) learned a very powerful lesson from the catastrophe of the Bush years. When a party is able to somehow puke up a clown car full of of contestants who manage to make Dubya seem like a moderate, then it's time to strike the tents, fold up the chairs and go home.
http://www.tomdegan.blogspot.com
Tom Degan
16
You missed the Big Elephant in Hillary's Room: Bill! What's he going to do when and if she's elected CEO of the USA? Interview White House interns? Make speeches for a few hundred thousand dollars a piece to pay for the non-taxpayer funded Clinton homes? Continue to invest in hedge funds and private equity funds that buy companies, leverage them to the hilt, then fire employees and sell the companies to other funds or companies? Mitt Romney, you may have a friend in the White House -- he'll be sleeping there with the President.
4
Come to think of it, what has Marco rubio done in the senate? Rick Santorum was right, he didn't do anything. Oh wait, he did do something, he obstructed everything that president Obama did to do to help the American people and took pride in the fact.
23
I simply can't believe Carly Fiorina's message railing against "crony capitalism" isn't resonating.
You'd think she'd gotten a mega million dollar golden parachute for , at best, bare competence or something.
Is there any segment of the human race more unaware and obtuse than a conservative Republican?
You'd think she'd gotten a mega million dollar golden parachute for , at best, bare competence or something.
Is there any segment of the human race more unaware and obtuse than a conservative Republican?
11
As heinous a character as Shkreli is, I wish that the throngs calling for his head would step back and realize that they are betting on the wrong dog. I loathe him like the others, but our ire should be targeting the system/laws that enabled his behavior.
Watch out for the classic bait and switch, guys.
Watch out for the classic bait and switch, guys.
21
Worst friend in the world? Santorum just ceded that honor to Cruz who was nominated for that category by Dr. Carson.
8
If I were to say the party of power hungry, greedy, paranoid, back stabbing liars what party comes to mind? Correct the Republican party. Birds of a feather flock together.
Democrats are nicer and far less paranoid than Republicans.
Republicans are now a religious cult versus a real political party. No one is perfect but if we were to group people into untrustworthy and mean spirited and trustworthy compassionate on balance the latter are Democrats and the former are Republicans. The untrustworthy and mean spirited and the dishonest have found their party. But no one scores 100% in the trustworthy class not even Hillary or Bernie.
As for Shkreli this guy is headed for jail. Guys like that should be tarred and feathered. We need to change a patent laws to loose a patent for abuse.
Democrats are nicer and far less paranoid than Republicans.
Republicans are now a religious cult versus a real political party. No one is perfect but if we were to group people into untrustworthy and mean spirited and trustworthy compassionate on balance the latter are Democrats and the former are Republicans. The untrustworthy and mean spirited and the dishonest have found their party. But no one scores 100% in the trustworthy class not even Hillary or Bernie.
As for Shkreli this guy is headed for jail. Guys like that should be tarred and feathered. We need to change a patent laws to loose a patent for abuse.
7
Money corrupts.
Hillary is no different:
http://billmoyers.com/2015/11/18/flashback-elizabeth-warren-tells-a-stor...
Hillary is no different:
http://billmoyers.com/2015/11/18/flashback-elizabeth-warren-tells-a-stor...
4
Virtually all former Washington insiders speak for high fees. Look at who is represented by the Washington Speakers Bureau. If she was not in office at the time, what exactly is the issue? W currently charges about $350k for an hour's speech.
14
Shkreli is jerk. But while he probably went over the line in characterizing the Committee members as imbeciles, I'm not sure it isn't fair to say that these Committee hearings are often imbecilic. A dozen members of Congress using the chump-of-the-day as a backboard off of which to bounce self-righteous speeches -- all in the name of "Congressional fact finding" -- is pretty much a waste of everyone's time.
Hill's activities in the years leading up to this year's campaign -- the email server, the speaking fees are mystifying to me. It's almost as if she had forgotten that she was going to be running for president a few years down the road and that all this stuff was going to be vetted --- endlessly vetted.
Hill's activities in the years leading up to this year's campaign -- the email server, the speaking fees are mystifying to me. It's almost as if she had forgotten that she was going to be running for president a few years down the road and that all this stuff was going to be vetted --- endlessly vetted.
2
Gail, I think you missed a good opportunity here to mention the fact that, while campaigning in Iowa Carly Fiorina, when faced with an exceedingly small group of adult attendees, herded them and a group of preschoolers into a classroom and lectured them on the evils of abortion. Preschoolers! Then again, there is very little humor in such an event. Preschoolers!
10
Gail: I love your columns but I think writing about the presidential (sic) campaign is simply too daunting a task for anyone. Perhaps we need some benign neglect, let the money guys choose whom they want to be President (that's what's going to happen anyway) and focus upon more palatable subjects such as Piano Cats and Easter Bunnies. That's about where the political discourse of the country has arrived, anyway, but reading or hearing these folks "debate" is too depressing to laugh.
2
Three speeches to Goldman Sachs were the tip of the iceberg. Bill and Hillary made millions giving speeches to people who knew Hillary would be running for President in 2016.
Frequent commenter "Socrates" provided a link to the speeches made by Hillary after she stepped down at State. It's a long list and the price tag for each speech was $225,000.
The price wasn't what Goldman Sachs offered. The price was set by Hillary. During the debate Hillary spun her answer to suggest otherwise. That's what bugs me about those finger-wagging Clinton's. She should have said $225,0000 was her price and Goldman Sachs purchased three speeches.
This isn't a conspiracy or a smear campaign. The public needs to know about these speeches. Get to work New York Times reporters.
Frequent commenter "Socrates" provided a link to the speeches made by Hillary after she stepped down at State. It's a long list and the price tag for each speech was $225,000.
The price wasn't what Goldman Sachs offered. The price was set by Hillary. During the debate Hillary spun her answer to suggest otherwise. That's what bugs me about those finger-wagging Clinton's. She should have said $225,0000 was her price and Goldman Sachs purchased three speeches.
This isn't a conspiracy or a smear campaign. The public needs to know about these speeches. Get to work New York Times reporters.
17
Yeah, Hillary should not have given those speeches (sigh). But it's not just those speeches. It's also the $7.7 million total from big banks. It's the $500,000 that Bill made on Tuesday (yep, 5 days ago); and the fund-raising events with financial bigwigs, that were hastily cancelled. It goes back at least to the 90s, when Bill's Secretary of the Treasury was Robert Rubin, Co-Chairman of Goldman Sachs and Chairman of Citigroup. Whose loosening of oversight and repeal of Glass-Steagall led to the financial crisis. Who is only one name on the very long list of Hillary supporters in the financial industry.
Making the speeches to Goldman Sachs was bad. But they're only one step on Hillary's long and rocky road.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/05/politics/hillary-clinton-bill-clinton-paid...
Making the speeches to Goldman Sachs was bad. But they're only one step on Hillary's long and rocky road.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/05/politics/hillary-clinton-bill-clinton-paid...
11
Boy, mention Hillary and our usually thoughtful frequent flier contributors go all "Bernie Bro" on us. People love to place others on a pedestal despite precedent.
6
Congress should regulate drug prices. The free market just doesn't work for drugs. They are not commodities. Rubio excels at not doing his job whatever that job may be.
10
Doesn't Goldman Sachs -- all of Wall Street -- pay bonuses of $275,000 or more to all their investment bankers? In a game with trillions of dollars, a quarter mill is simply not a lot of money. Of course, Hillary can't say that.
9
Considering how ridiculous most oversight committees seem these days, I think Shkreli gave them exactly what they deserve. True, the man is despicable, but, then again, so are most members of Congress. There. I said it.
12
What a pathetic picture you just painted. All true, unfortunately. The rest of us may be subject to attacks of "schadenfreude", given that this circus is devoid of cuddly animals we can identify with. And you didn't even mention the 'tecruzes' (perhaps because nobody can't stand them?).
2
In her first press conference about the emails, it was also a take it or leave it stance that Hillary took. And now it's got even more brazen (she's "100% certain. . .") But she's not in charge of this email thing now; the FBI is. She's not in charge of voters either. Time will tell on both.
As to whether she did "very well" at the forum and debate this week, I've only heard her surrogates saying that and they're getting paid to say it.
As to whether she did "very well" at the forum and debate this week, I've only heard her surrogates saying that and they're getting paid to say it.
4
Beth, please don't comment on the performance at a debate that you ,obvious from your comment, didn't bother to watch.
10
The Clinton Goldman Sachs "scandal" somehow reminds me of the downfall of Francis Bacon. He was accused of accepting presents from litigants whose cases he was hearing.
He admitted it, noting (a) everybody did it, and (b) such presents were the norm from all parties to a dispute; (c) it was nevertheless a thoroughly bad custom, but (d) he denied that it had ever led to corruption of justice in his court, and defied anyone to show that it had.
No actual instances of corruption of justice were adduced, in fact; but res ipsa loquitur, since he admitted the truth of the charge (that he had accepted presents from litigants), and he was appropriately disgraced.
On the other hand, no one attempted to aggravate the charges against him by adding that he was (as John Aubrey put it) παιδεραστης, though a number of mysteries about his trial remain, and it's always possible that blackmail was an issue.
He admitted it, noting (a) everybody did it, and (b) such presents were the norm from all parties to a dispute; (c) it was nevertheless a thoroughly bad custom, but (d) he denied that it had ever led to corruption of justice in his court, and defied anyone to show that it had.
No actual instances of corruption of justice were adduced, in fact; but res ipsa loquitur, since he admitted the truth of the charge (that he had accepted presents from litigants), and he was appropriately disgraced.
On the other hand, no one attempted to aggravate the charges against him by adding that he was (as John Aubrey put it) παιδεραστης, though a number of mysteries about his trial remain, and it's always possible that blackmail was an issue.
1
I feel that I'm on really shaky ground when I on the opposite side of both Gail Collins and Andy Borowitz on the same issue. But I thought it was really refreshing for someone, even Shkreli, to assert his fifth amendments rights against an always-posturing, publicity-seeking, vote-grubbing Congressional Committee. They need to be taken down a peg more often considering their truly miserable performance over the past seven years. And Shkreli calling them imbeciles afterward was just frosting on the cake.
67
Lets see, Marco doesn't show up for work at the senate because - according to him - he doesn't like it and he won't be running for that office again. Now we learn that he didn't show up for his teaching gig either. So he tosses both students and his voters under the bus when it suits him. If he can't be bothered to show up for these jobs, can we trust him to show up as president? Even if he is living in the White House, the origional home office?
I would say we might be better off if he didn't considering where he stands on most issues, but he might have another Cheney (the ex VP has at least one daughter with political ambitions) taking over the reins for him.
It appears that Rubio really is as shallow as he seems! I remember Churchill - Marco is reading about him! - saying of another politician that he was "a modest little man with much to be modest about". Marco has "mich to modest about" but not the good grace to recognize it.
Lets hope Santorum buries him with well deserved faint praise.
I would say we might be better off if he didn't considering where he stands on most issues, but he might have another Cheney (the ex VP has at least one daughter with political ambitions) taking over the reins for him.
It appears that Rubio really is as shallow as he seems! I remember Churchill - Marco is reading about him! - saying of another politician that he was "a modest little man with much to be modest about". Marco has "mich to modest about" but not the good grace to recognize it.
Lets hope Santorum buries him with well deserved faint praise.
88
Dear Ms. Collins: If Goldman Sachs offered me a fraction of what Hillary got I'd be pleased as punch to speak before their huddled masses of millionaires, financial scoundrels, mendacious mendicants and sleazy junk bond merchants. And despite my utter disregard for them as the most icky people around, I would not disparage them in the least. I would heap praise and glorify them to the high heavens.
I got that surefire winner "Greed Is Good" speech tucked away somewhere collecting dust which I'd gladly brush off and fumigate in a New York minute and give with all the gusto I could, and a teleprompter at ready. I would enjoy no end taking their handsome fee and depositing it in a trust fund for my grand daughter's education or perhaps in a Super PAC for when she runs for President. No qualms here.
Atlas may have shrugged but Wall Street won't. Not when there's another nickel and dime left on the ground to pick up. They are just the kind of folks I love taking money from.
DD
Manhattan
I got that surefire winner "Greed Is Good" speech tucked away somewhere collecting dust which I'd gladly brush off and fumigate in a New York minute and give with all the gusto I could, and a teleprompter at ready. I would enjoy no end taking their handsome fee and depositing it in a trust fund for my grand daughter's education or perhaps in a Super PAC for when she runs for President. No qualms here.
Atlas may have shrugged but Wall Street won't. Not when there's another nickel and dime left on the ground to pick up. They are just the kind of folks I love taking money from.
DD
Manhattan
63
I loathe Fiorina. That said, excluding her from the debate stage only reinforces the notion that Republicans disrespect and ignore women. The male candidates should insist on her inclusion.
56
Hillary should be applauded for her free market capitalism entrepreneurial approach to life after politics. She charged what the market will bear. How is her being paid to give a speech any different than some backwater university paying Rubio big sums of money to "teach" a few classes (and then not show up for a 1/3 of them)? I really don't care what GS paid Hillary. If they're stupid enough to offer that kind of money, I say take the money and run. Good for her. At least she didn't sign any silly Norquist pledges that hurt the country.
11
Aside from the 15-20 voters who will say the day before the election that they still undecided, it appears most people have already decided who they will vote for. There may be a single issue that they base their vote on. Guns, abortion, immigration, taxes, hair, weight, religion, speaking fees, age, smell, style, and so on. Well maybe more than one issue. Or they will vote for whoever their friends or minister or parents tells them to vote for. Of course some won't vote for anyone their parents are voting for. There may be a smoking gun that pops up . This one's almost amusing:
http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/01/bernie-sanders-family-money
Then there are those who won't vote because they say all politicians are dishonest. I'm voting anyway.
http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/01/bernie-sanders-family-money
Then there are those who won't vote because they say all politicians are dishonest. I'm voting anyway.
3
Clinton definitely exhibited very poor judgement in accepting those exorbitant speaking fees from Wall Street firms, knowing full well she was planning to run for President. What was she thinking? Was she so enthralled by the money she could not stop herself? Seems she went on a greed binge. And for what? She needed the $30 million for what? Who needs $30 million, especially since her husband was earning multiple millions himself? Why didn't she donate the speaking fees to charity? Why oh why oh why. From Whitewater on, those folks have had a very twisted relationship to money.
3
re Shkreli - his smirk is insufferable but he does have a point when he insults the intelligence of the committee members. They seemed to be unaware that that Congress legalized his morally unsupportable decision to raise the price of a pill from affordable to unaffordable. He couldn't do that in any country with a rational health care system. It's a good bet that Congress also legalized whatever financial shennanigans he is under indictment for, or else the courts through various decisions and machinations have made it impossible to get a conviction. Maybe his point is, "if you don't want people to do this stuff, why do you facilitate it?"
13
Most of what you said was absolutely spot-on. But - where I disagree - Barbara Bush's age should have nothing to do with it. If ANYONE brings in their mother, regardless of her age, it is a last gasp.
12
.. let's just be thankful he didn't haul her in on the roof of his car.
6
The common thread that unites us is anger and frustration at all politicians- even the few good ones that are still around. And we're all united in anger because we can't find anyone to fix this broken and corrupt system.
Bernie is music to the ears of progressives. He's telling it like it is and we're all afraid that he has little chance to do anything about it. They kicked Obama around so much it's a wonder he's still standing. Imagine what they'd do to a President Sanders.
Martin Shkreli ? He's so loathsome he hates himself, that's why he's angry too.
Bernie is music to the ears of progressives. He's telling it like it is and we're all afraid that he has little chance to do anything about it. They kicked Obama around so much it's a wonder he's still standing. Imagine what they'd do to a President Sanders.
Martin Shkreli ? He's so loathsome he hates himself, that's why he's angry too.
7
Well, the foundation of narcissism is self-loathing, so, yeah.
4
As usual, Gail, a nice rondelet of the current befuddlement we call the Republican contest. As to the matter of Carly "The Ferocious" Fiorina: clearly
these men are scared of her. As kids we would have dismissed them as "fraidy cats." Plus, her presence on stage makes them soil their astronaut underpants.
For that reason alone she should be there.
these men are scared of her. As kids we would have dismissed them as "fraidy cats." Plus, her presence on stage makes them soil their astronaut underpants.
For that reason alone she should be there.
5
As a physician, our Congress has forbidden me from accepting anything from pharmaceutical and medical supply companies. I can no longer accept even a pen or a doughnut. The days of free meals or trips are long gone. Our Congress enacted these laws and regulations in fear that accepting such gifts would influence the physician's prescribing habits and lead to inappropriate procedures. I agree with these regulations. If I accepted $10,000 for a speaking engagement for a drug company, I would be immediately investigated and charged for illegal behavior. I could not stand behind a defense of "That’s what they offered". Hillary Clinton's answer to her accepting $675,000 from Goldman Sachs for a speaking engagement, "That’s what they offered", is no defense and speaks to gross hypocrisy and a double standard. This question should be continually asked until she gives an acceptable answer.
36
Public speakers give speeches. That's what they do. There was nothing illegal. The company did nothing wrong. The speaker did nothing wrong. It was a transaction, pure and simple, of the type that happen daily. Shutting oneself off from speaking in front of an audience --especially one with as much weight as the GS organization-- is giving into the worst kind of PC and narrow-mindedness. It's like Trump tossing out from his rallies anyone whose questions he doesn't like. That is far more wrong than accepting a perfectly legal and perfectly reasonable transaction. Like it or now, Wall St permeates every spectrum of American life and refusing to speak to them would be ridiculous.
Now, do you feel that should she have said no because of some moral grounds? That is an entirely different conversation and not one for us to be having here.
Now, do you feel that should she have said no because of some moral grounds? That is an entirely different conversation and not one for us to be having here.
3
"I have to pay the bills."
4
Doc,
The more ironic point is that these same politicians stand in line for checks from Big Pharma on a daily basis and yet have the gall to micro-manage your business. I agree with haapi and can accept HRC's answer. I stand prepared to speak to these weasels for $3900.00 plus expenses but they won't like what I have to say.
The more ironic point is that these same politicians stand in line for checks from Big Pharma on a daily basis and yet have the gall to micro-manage your business. I agree with haapi and can accept HRC's answer. I stand prepared to speak to these weasels for $3900.00 plus expenses but they won't like what I have to say.
3
This business about Clinton's speeches to GS is silly. It was for three speeches at $200K each. If this seems like a lot, its the going rate for speakers with her qualifications. GS probably contacted her agent who set up the speeches to some gathering of GS clients and executives wanting to hear her views on the world and how it might influence their business. It was not a campaign fund raiser. Ask Bernie how many speeches and how much he got paid for as the self-proclaimed leader of the Socialist Democratic Party. But, in general, the press never asks Bernie, the good grandfather, to explain any of his positions. When forced to state how long and how many troops he would keep in Afghanistan, his reply was, "But I voted against the war in Iraq." As for releasing the transcripts, they are likely owned by those who paid for them. So Chuck Todd's fatuous question was a low-ball tactic to embarrass her, knowing full well that the transcripts were not hers to release.
20
This is trophy hunting and peddling. As if there isn't enough transcript of interviews and speeches, as well as books and articles written by Clinton to discern her world view. She is socially progressive, a realist in foreign relations, and very practical when it come to her own finances and political career-she will say and do what she needs to earn a dime or get elected.
2
Do you believe Hillary will be as concerned about the needs of a family that doesn't make $200K in a year as she will about the interests of a company that pays her that much for an evening of her time?
4
"As for releasing the transcripts, they are likely owned by those who paid for them."
Uh, then why wouldn't she just say so, rather than fumfering? It would have been a perfectly reasonable answer. Unless, of course, it's not true? Do colleges own the text of their commencement speakers' remarks? Methinks you're just making stuff up.
Uh, then why wouldn't she just say so, rather than fumfering? It would have been a perfectly reasonable answer. Unless, of course, it's not true? Do colleges own the text of their commencement speakers' remarks? Methinks you're just making stuff up.
3
There's something subtly allegorical about Shkreli's appearance before Congress (and not just any ol' committee, but the same one that's been hounding Hillary for months) and the GOP candidates' campaigns. What, exactly, was the point of Shkreli's inquisition? If it was to fix the system, then these same Congressmen (and women) could've done that through legislation without ever having him testify. Or, was it an opportunity to loudly and proudly proclaim their mock disdain and disgust in public for the exact same behavior they privately endorse through Pharma lobbying and campaign contributions?
My guess is there's a whole bunch of Pharma execs cheering in their 11th-floor offices over Shkreli's fall-guy status.
To me, all the GOP candidates' public statements are basically no different than Shkreli's moment in the Congressional limelight: Distract the audience (the American electorate) with a circus spectacle while the thieves are free to do their dirty work in the background, unwatched and unregulated.
My guess is there's a whole bunch of Pharma execs cheering in their 11th-floor offices over Shkreli's fall-guy status.
To me, all the GOP candidates' public statements are basically no different than Shkreli's moment in the Congressional limelight: Distract the audience (the American electorate) with a circus spectacle while the thieves are free to do their dirty work in the background, unwatched and unregulated.
39
There is a saying in medicine: It may be legal, but is it ethical?
Shkreli's outrageous price gouging and arrogant attitude certainly demonstrates we have a problem with rising drug prices in this country. Shkreli's raw amoral and immoral profit-taking over any consideration of ethics, patients, and health may be the most egregious (so far). For a long time we have had a serious drug pricing problem in the U.S. by the pharmaceutical companies, which the Republicans, in particular, have refused to address and have even aided and abetted. Will the Shkreli case be the tipping point?
I think we let the conservative Republicans have their way for a number of decades with all their talk of government deregulation hampering jobs and business. If you just let people alone and don't dampen their initiative with rules and regulations, they will take responsibility for themselves the libertarians argue. Ha!
The economic and political experiment is over, and decades of results are in, especially in the banking, pharmaceutical, health insurance, and campaign financing industries. So, if people won't behave responsibly and do the right thing (ethics), then we need laws with teeth to protect us & hold them accountable.
Maybe a first act would be to get rid of Citizens United and to reform our campaign financing so we have a publicly financed system like advanced countries. Then, at least, the politicians would be free to act from a position of ethics rather than legalized bribery
Shkreli's outrageous price gouging and arrogant attitude certainly demonstrates we have a problem with rising drug prices in this country. Shkreli's raw amoral and immoral profit-taking over any consideration of ethics, patients, and health may be the most egregious (so far). For a long time we have had a serious drug pricing problem in the U.S. by the pharmaceutical companies, which the Republicans, in particular, have refused to address and have even aided and abetted. Will the Shkreli case be the tipping point?
I think we let the conservative Republicans have their way for a number of decades with all their talk of government deregulation hampering jobs and business. If you just let people alone and don't dampen their initiative with rules and regulations, they will take responsibility for themselves the libertarians argue. Ha!
The economic and political experiment is over, and decades of results are in, especially in the banking, pharmaceutical, health insurance, and campaign financing industries. So, if people won't behave responsibly and do the right thing (ethics), then we need laws with teeth to protect us & hold them accountable.
Maybe a first act would be to get rid of Citizens United and to reform our campaign financing so we have a publicly financed system like advanced countries. Then, at least, the politicians would be free to act from a position of ethics rather than legalized bribery
30
Shkreli is a "chaser." As for the rest of them, "Pay the man Shirley."
I must be missing something. Is Martin Shkreli the new GOP candidate?
4
Gail,
As regards trump(I like it that 'trump' has a meaning that is not a proper noun and my spell-checker does not yell at me when I deliberately do not capitalize a lizard's name), have you considered that maybe it never wanted to be president? I really do not think it is stupid, having a lack of conscience just means that the front part of its brain is not functioning properly. I am sure that it realizes the total scrutiny -- including all of the details of its wealth and finances it will receive by everyone in they disastrous case of it getting elected . These are things that Mr. t in my view, has kept a pretty tight lid on and would not want to share.
What do you think Gail?
I think it never expected to have so many angry white wing-nuts rise up in support of it.
As regards trump(I like it that 'trump' has a meaning that is not a proper noun and my spell-checker does not yell at me when I deliberately do not capitalize a lizard's name), have you considered that maybe it never wanted to be president? I really do not think it is stupid, having a lack of conscience just means that the front part of its brain is not functioning properly. I am sure that it realizes the total scrutiny -- including all of the details of its wealth and finances it will receive by everyone in they disastrous case of it getting elected . These are things that Mr. t in my view, has kept a pretty tight lid on and would not want to share.
What do you think Gail?
I think it never expected to have so many angry white wing-nuts rise up in support of it.
6
I can't help but visualize the Republican candidates as comic but tragic villains in a poorly directed atman movie. And i have fun coming up with their Batman villain identities! And then switch them around!
Cruz - Dark Knight?
Christie - Penguin !
Rubio - Juggler?
Bush - ? Maybe Mayor?
Trump - Joker?
Carly - Poison Ivy?
Kaisi - Police Commissioner
And apropos to nothing, Hillary should answer questions about her GS and other fees with "Well I had an expensive wedding to pay off!"
Cruz - Dark Knight?
Christie - Penguin !
Rubio - Juggler?
Bush - ? Maybe Mayor?
Trump - Joker?
Carly - Poison Ivy?
Kaisi - Police Commissioner
And apropos to nothing, Hillary should answer questions about her GS and other fees with "Well I had an expensive wedding to pay off!"
5
They obviously did not know how to count in Florida in 2000, and it looks like JEB! still has not learned that skill. If he knew how to count, he would count to 10 and declare his campaign dead.
14
Bernie Sanders has already won. No matter if he loses, he has already won. I don't know how many times I heard ALL the pundits say this 'grouchy, rumpled' man's campaign was laughable. Who's laughing now?
I remember the first time I really listened to Sanders was on the Diane Rehm show way back in the summer. I was astonished that I agreed with everything he said (except Israel) and that (1) he actually answered every one of Diane's brilliant question in a way I had NEVER heard a politician speak. I was astonished and delighted and I have not been surprised by his rise. Pushing the Clintons' button is also delightful. I do have some pity for Hill. She and Bill, I'm sure, did not see the Rise of the Bern. Nightmares again!!
Yes, by being in this race and proving to be a real candidate with his progressive ideas (consistent over all these years, we KNOW who he is) Bernie Sanders has already won....and big.
I remember the first time I really listened to Sanders was on the Diane Rehm show way back in the summer. I was astonished that I agreed with everything he said (except Israel) and that (1) he actually answered every one of Diane's brilliant question in a way I had NEVER heard a politician speak. I was astonished and delighted and I have not been surprised by his rise. Pushing the Clintons' button is also delightful. I do have some pity for Hill. She and Bill, I'm sure, did not see the Rise of the Bern. Nightmares again!!
Yes, by being in this race and proving to be a real candidate with his progressive ideas (consistent over all these years, we KNOW who he is) Bernie Sanders has already won....and big.
28
I have to laugh when I think of Obama saying "she had to do it backwards and heels". It is so true! Bernie does it straight forward and -in place of heels - with the naked truth.
She's been dancing, alright, even since the speaking gigs on Wall Street came up. Which one do you trust?
She's been dancing, alright, even since the speaking gigs on Wall Street came up. Which one do you trust?
Virtually every politician with star power collects speaker fees. This includes former presidents, cabinet members, and those currently serving in office. Don't believe it? It will take you only a few minutes to find the websites of the agencies that arrange the speeches, including a long list of their many clients. Sanders can't identify a single vote or decision these fees supposedly bought. This is yet another in a long list of vague allegations against the Clintons that are never proven but serve the political purposes of those who oppose them. Bernie Sanders, meet Ken Starr.
13
If Jeb can drag in the 90-year-old Bar to vouch for his Commander-in-Chief chops, what's to stop The Donald from drafting Martin Schkreli as a companion endorser to Sarah Palin. Then we'd have stupid, evil, loud, empty and incompetent conveniently rolled up into one compact campaign package.
Jeb should have remembered. Momma told him way back when that he should stay out of that pool of sharks.
www.endthemadnessnow.org
Jeb should have remembered. Momma told him way back when that he should stay out of that pool of sharks.
www.endthemadnessnow.org
14
I think we have already had that - the "stupid, evil, loud, empty and incompetent." Do the names George W Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld ring any bells?
4
"Marco Rubio gets really good jobs."
True, true. But it does help to have well-to-do, civic-minded folks in your corner when you're looking for work. Folks who believe in you.
For example:
"Paul Singer, Influential Billionaire, Throws Support to Marco Rubio for President." (NYTimes, a day or two after Halloween.)
This is the same vulture who is trying to squeeze Argentina for $3 billion in discounted loans; who tried the same thing with the Congo ten years ago; who is suing some of the biggest, friendliest banks for repayment of those loans; who extorted $350 million cash from Treasury in 2009 by holding Delphi Automotive for ransom. "Give us the cash now or GM looses its parts supply for good," was the argument. A nice guy; and a good neighbor.
Anyhow, Singer Is High On Marco. Who has apparently already carried water for Singer a couple times to Treasury & State. How nice it would be to have such a bright, clean-cut cooperative young man in the White House.
Gail, this one is all teed up for you. No one else seems interested to step and "address the ball" (thanx, Ed Norton.)
Little Marco Wants to Fly but I think he need to have his wings trimmed.
Not to mention his exceedingly bad hair.
True, true. But it does help to have well-to-do, civic-minded folks in your corner when you're looking for work. Folks who believe in you.
For example:
"Paul Singer, Influential Billionaire, Throws Support to Marco Rubio for President." (NYTimes, a day or two after Halloween.)
This is the same vulture who is trying to squeeze Argentina for $3 billion in discounted loans; who tried the same thing with the Congo ten years ago; who is suing some of the biggest, friendliest banks for repayment of those loans; who extorted $350 million cash from Treasury in 2009 by holding Delphi Automotive for ransom. "Give us the cash now or GM looses its parts supply for good," was the argument. A nice guy; and a good neighbor.
Anyhow, Singer Is High On Marco. Who has apparently already carried water for Singer a couple times to Treasury & State. How nice it would be to have such a bright, clean-cut cooperative young man in the White House.
Gail, this one is all teed up for you. No one else seems interested to step and "address the ball" (thanx, Ed Norton.)
Little Marco Wants to Fly but I think he need to have his wings trimmed.
Not to mention his exceedingly bad hair.
21
Carly Florin will never be President of the United States for one simply unassailable reason: she reminds everybody of their ex-wife! That mouth set in permanent disapproval bordering on loathing, those eyes . . . cold and dead but ready at an instant to flash like a lightsaber and eviscerate. The barely successful attempt to disguise her utter distain in public. The waiting for an opportunity to hurt back. Till.The.Day.She.Dies.
With the opposition shouting, "A vote for Carly is a vote for your Ex!!" poor Carly does not stand a chance.
Hils on the other hand is the ex-wife you would still call up once in a while to check that she was doing OK.
With the opposition shouting, "A vote for Carly is a vote for your Ex!!" poor Carly does not stand a chance.
Hils on the other hand is the ex-wife you would still call up once in a while to check that she was doing OK.
12
HRC and Cruz both got money from Goldman Sachs but at least she did something to earn it.
18
Talk about the banality of evil --- our entire political process is broken.
9
@ACJ
Thus part isn't quite broken. We're still griping and sniping.
Thus part isn't quite broken. We're still griping and sniping.
Shkrell really peaked too early. Right now he could be in the crowded field of billionaires lining up to buy Marco Rubio.
7
Martin Shkreli is just the Invisible Hand made Visible, not pretty.
15
Shkrelli is the small tip of the iceberg that has focused the spotlight on the the evil of the pharmaceutical industry and their bought and paid for relationship with our congress that has allowed them to exploit illness for their bottom line. As bad as Shkrelli is, his disdain at his inquisition by the enablers of the process is most understandable.
4
Has anyone noticed that Gail tries to be funny, but isn't? This is a problem.
3
Check your five other senses because you seem to have lost your sense of humor.
8
Because the material is enough to make a grown man cry.
2
Has anyone noticed that you're a crowd of one?
4
We we need a virtual pie throwing booth to let off some of the rage these characters arouse. But just when you thought you couldn't take anymore there's Jeb! wheeling out his 90 year old mother on a walker in a snowstorm. You just can't make this stuff up. It had me doubled over.
11
I did not watch the panel, but surprised that Gail indicates everyone was against Shkreli. I would have thought the Republicans should have been publicly supporting him. First, he is a true capitalist, and how is it Government's business how much money you can extort for life saving medications. Second, the diseases the medicine works against affect the poor, gays, and minorities. Third, if the rich need it, they can afford it.
Well if they are publicly castigating him, you can be confident that nothing will come of this, and the Republicans will ensure that. Since, they understand that he is one of them.
Well if they are publicly castigating him, you can be confident that nothing will come of this, and the Republicans will ensure that. Since, they understand that he is one of them.
23
agree with all, except as regards Jeb Bush. it's not that he is a bad campaigner. he knows the issues, and can reasonably communicate his thoughts re: same. It's just that his heart isn't in the race, and the inevitability factor has, accordingly, never worked in his favor.
4
If Hillary releases her Goldman Sachs speech transcripts, how heavily will they be redacted?
4
The question should be: are those transcripts hers to release?
What a tempest in a teapot.
What a tempest in a teapot.
2
I'm sure a bunch of us will add Hillary. After all "that's what they were offering."
Its going to be the "47%" comment of the 2016 campaign.
Its going to be the "47%" comment of the 2016 campaign.
5
Gail's headline today says it all, no matter what your political persuasion happens to be, she of loving to loathe anything not Democratic until....well, today! Presidentail candiates bring out our best loathing as a rule, but historically it's always been the loathing of the political Sneeches Without the Stars Upon Thar's.
It must have been hard for Gail, the Pundit of Snark, to hold her tongue on the Presidential Candidate of Snark, Queen Hillary, but one gets to a point where, you know, you just can't hold a snarky tongue any longer. It took one of the "Duh!" moments, but like many of the rest of us, Gail finally pulled the trigger on those egregiously priced Clintonian speeches to Goldman Sachs that saw them in such a kinder light they were willing to pay on the north side of half a million bucks. What's a marketplace for?
Campaigns today have gone completely wacko because virtually the candidates are largely wacko, save Jeb...he the prophet crying in the wilderness to repent and restart. They didn't listen back then either. As you are departing Armageddon, remember not to look back and risk becoming the salt of the earth.
It must have been hard for Gail, the Pundit of Snark, to hold her tongue on the Presidential Candidate of Snark, Queen Hillary, but one gets to a point where, you know, you just can't hold a snarky tongue any longer. It took one of the "Duh!" moments, but like many of the rest of us, Gail finally pulled the trigger on those egregiously priced Clintonian speeches to Goldman Sachs that saw them in such a kinder light they were willing to pay on the north side of half a million bucks. What's a marketplace for?
Campaigns today have gone completely wacko because virtually the candidates are largely wacko, save Jeb...he the prophet crying in the wilderness to repent and restart. They didn't listen back then either. As you are departing Armageddon, remember not to look back and risk becoming the salt of the earth.
2
Re: Shkreli
Good for him. Shows how well looking for sympathy from the free market works.
And the repubs will still not regulate pharma.
Good for him. Shows how well looking for sympathy from the free market works.
And the repubs will still not regulate pharma.
2
Rubio needs help, balancing his checkbook!
3
Of all those complaining here about Clinton's speaking fees, I imagine only a very few would have turned down the same offer. More would have ignored Rubio's paltry university gig.
4
No one here has any political favors to extend, no skids to grease. That is the difference.
3
Bernie Sanders is/was an "Independent" who caucused with the Democrats. Does that make him a Democrat? Why doesn't he run as an Independent? As they say "Ya is or ya ain't". So much for his principles. Of course he has a solid record no not accomplishing anything significant during his tenure in the Senate. He fits right in with Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio.
4
He does not run as an independent because he does not want to be part of a repeat of Nadar's splitting of the Democratic vote.
3
After she left government, Hillary wanted her own money. Nothing from Bill or the foundation. This was her divorce. Dignity at last. Why did she take money from Wall Street? Ask Willie Sutton.
7
Re Hillary Clinton:
I can not disagree with anything you say Ms. Collins. The way both Mr. and Mrs. have conducted themselves in politics as well as their personal lives does not inspire me. They sort of remind me of LBJ. But, and this is a HUGE HUGE but, LBJ was a very effective president, absent his judgement around Vietnam, especially as the country's mood regarding the conflict was changing drastically. I would love to see Bernie Sanders pull the agenda somewhat toward progressive causes, just as Ted Kennedy did for many years and Tip O'Neil did before him, but none of these 3 would be an effective president (maybe Tip would have if he had had the drive). Mrs. Clinton, if nominated and elected has the knowledge and skills to get some things done, and better a democrat in the White House than any of the Religiously controlled Republicans.
I can not disagree with anything you say Ms. Collins. The way both Mr. and Mrs. have conducted themselves in politics as well as their personal lives does not inspire me. They sort of remind me of LBJ. But, and this is a HUGE HUGE but, LBJ was a very effective president, absent his judgement around Vietnam, especially as the country's mood regarding the conflict was changing drastically. I would love to see Bernie Sanders pull the agenda somewhat toward progressive causes, just as Ted Kennedy did for many years and Tip O'Neil did before him, but none of these 3 would be an effective president (maybe Tip would have if he had had the drive). Mrs. Clinton, if nominated and elected has the knowledge and skills to get some things done, and better a democrat in the White House than any of the Religiously controlled Republicans.
6
Even Gail decided to completely ignore Ted Cruz getting up in polls and disliked by all in Congress irrespective of their party.
Curiouser and curiouser.
Curiouser and curiouser.
2
After mommy all Jeb has left is his bro. I'm surprised he hasn't asked Bernie for an endorsement.
Did you read about the human stories of Marco Rubio? He seems to be regular enough, facing financial hardships, knowing family with autism, sharing tales of his immigrant father struggling with Spanish, he is connecting nicely with NH folks, bringing his 4 kids to meet voters etc etc. unfortunately very few people know how dangerous he really is, he started out as a Tea Party candidate, he is right of his party, he is very bad for women's rights and he us dangerous for our country (he is on speed dial with Bill Kristol and Netanyahu, funded by Adelson and Paul singer, braman, who want America to protect Israel at all costs).
6
If even Gail Collins thinks HRC shouldn't be well paid for speaking engagements to Wall Street, I may have to rethink it - but so far I can't understand why this was wrong, or why the response "that's what they offered" is wrong. Gail must have had speaking engagements by now - does she feel beholden to those employers? Doubt it. Why should she? She did the gig, was paid, left. It doesn't disqualify her for anything.
7
Only difference is Gail doesn't have much influence over public policy. Whereas people who hold public office could be influenced by the money. Just a possibility!
4
Worldline: so you're suggesting HRC agreed to take a fee from Wall Street to speak, with the understanding that she would also then do their bidding if she became president later?
I sympathize with your suspicious nature with regards to politics, be stupid not to. I just don't agree with this particular attack on HRCs character.
I sympathize with your suspicious nature with regards to politics, be stupid not to. I just don't agree with this particular attack on HRCs character.
3
Did Jeb! actually think no one would realize he was related to his brother, the worst president in history?
12
Have we every asked about anyone's speakers fees before this election? I am sure some former presidential candidates have spoken to Wall Street, the NRA, drug companies. Get off Hillary's back. Let's talk about the issues facing the country and how to get any meaningful change accomplished - not wished for - ACCOMPLISHED.
11
Things we agree are loathsome: We can start with Obama's coddling of Saudi terrorists before starting two endless wars in a region where wars are never won. When Mr. Obama snarled, "They'll greet us as liberators," the nation, which was largely ambivalent and not at all chanting for blood like drunken Romans at the Colosseum, gave their President a chance because as Bill O'Reilly pointed out at the time, not to support the President in a time of war is treason.*
We also agree to loathe any notion of conservation or to remove the fingers from our ears as we shout lalalalalalalalalala when scientists try to explain reality. After all, life is short. Were we to have to face the effects of our decisions 200 years down the road, we might show more respect to the fragility of the singular orb on which we live, but we'll all be dead then so what the hey. Mr. Inhofe, throw down that snowball.
Yes, Gail, Rick Santorum remains the gold standard for priggish jerks. He is a cautionary tale of the mental illness that can develop in children when they are convinced not only that there is an incorporeal presence awash in the Universe but that that presence, which could, say, prevent famine in Africa, instead has fixed its loving gaze on little Rick (or little Ted, who reported Ben's demise just a little early), for whom anything is possible.^
Corrections and explanations:
*The Obama quote was actually uttered by VP Dick Cheney.
^Fairy tales can come true; it can happen to you. Pray!
We also agree to loathe any notion of conservation or to remove the fingers from our ears as we shout lalalalalalalalalala when scientists try to explain reality. After all, life is short. Were we to have to face the effects of our decisions 200 years down the road, we might show more respect to the fragility of the singular orb on which we live, but we'll all be dead then so what the hey. Mr. Inhofe, throw down that snowball.
Yes, Gail, Rick Santorum remains the gold standard for priggish jerks. He is a cautionary tale of the mental illness that can develop in children when they are convinced not only that there is an incorporeal presence awash in the Universe but that that presence, which could, say, prevent famine in Africa, instead has fixed its loving gaze on little Rick (or little Ted, who reported Ben's demise just a little early), for whom anything is possible.^
Corrections and explanations:
*The Obama quote was actually uttered by VP Dick Cheney.
^Fairy tales can come true; it can happen to you. Pray!
3
Your misquote of the Chaney snarl typifies the anti-Obama, anti-Clinton misconceptions that have plagued both. Obama manages to stay centered through it from the "comfort" of the Oval Office; HRC, since she's still campaigning, gets pulled off-center occasionally.
Hopefully it won't compromise either of them significantly in their quests to perform distinguished public service. Hope not, for our sakes.
Hopefully it won't compromise either of them significantly in their quests to perform distinguished public service. Hope not, for our sakes.
1
Wait!
Are you saying that Nora the Piano Cat is a friend of Seamus? And has also been strapped to the top of a car? Trust Ted's perhaps?
Are you saying that Nora the Piano Cat is a friend of Seamus? And has also been strapped to the top of a car? Trust Ted's perhaps?
1
Sadly for America, Mr Shkreli has, likely, done nothing illegal when raising the prices.
Congress has constantly blocked any attempts to allow the country to negotiate lower drug prices.
It has always been happy when drug company profits go higher and higher. It's made it illegal to buy drugs from outside the country. The Medicare Part D law makes it illegal for Medicare, the largest purchaser of drugs, to negotiate prices.
Congress created this monster.
Congress has constantly blocked any attempts to allow the country to negotiate lower drug prices.
It has always been happy when drug company profits go higher and higher. It's made it illegal to buy drugs from outside the country. The Medicare Part D law makes it illegal for Medicare, the largest purchaser of drugs, to negotiate prices.
Congress created this monster.
20
Gail, you picked the perfect word: "loathe". He is one of the most loathsome human beings to come across our news screens in a very long time. And he even smirks extensively while demonstrating that behavior. Do you suppose he knows where the WMDs are??
4
Santorum's remark about Rubio's "accomplishments" recalls Eisenhower's response when asked to speak of Richard Nixon's greatest accomplishment as his vice-president. "Give me a couple days, and I'll think of something."
Nixon was another one who brought us all together.
Nixon was another one who brought us all together.
10
The Goldman Sachs "honorariums" remind me of the basic honesty of the Republicans and the dishonesty of the Democrats: Hillary might turn on Goldman Sachs to garner more votes, but the Republicans will always stay bought.
4
Shkreli is just the most banal of medical industry execs. One who hasn't done a very good job of hiding away in his boardroom, shielded by PR firms. This is what comes with for-profit medicine. Medical companies aren't in it to keep us healthy, it's all about the revenue! Sick people are cash cows. When your company provides something that keeps people from dying, they should pay through the nose. This is our healthcare system, hallelujah for the free market!
15
Poor Congress, united in their disdain of Martin Shkreli. If they want lessons in dealing with a smirking, pencil wielding, and self absorbed witness, they need to go to any middle school. Ask the teachers and principals. They deal with this on a daily basis.
6
Clearly, Shkreli and Hillary have something in common: Unfettered greed.
4
'Clinton did very well at a Democratic forum and debate this week. Except when she was asked, during the forum, why she accepted $675,000 for giving three speeches for the investment banking firm Goldman Sachs. (“That’s what they offered.”)'
I would say that's a perfectly reasonable response, and add that anyone who'd turn down $675,000 when offered it is too stupid to be president. Nor, for all the foaming at the mouth it evokes, has any 'progressive' given a good reason why she should refuse to speak to Goldman Sachs or any group that is willing to give her a forum. Who knows, maybe she'll say something worth hearing, something that might make someone in the audience go 'hmm' and reconsider his position. The only ones who reject such a possibility are those so sure of their own righteousness that they have never, ever allowed an argument to penetrate their skulls that might threaten to change what passes for a mind - and these days such blockheads are just as likely to style themselves 'progressive' as 'conservative'.
We're devolving back to the Silly Sixties. God help us.
I would say that's a perfectly reasonable response, and add that anyone who'd turn down $675,000 when offered it is too stupid to be president. Nor, for all the foaming at the mouth it evokes, has any 'progressive' given a good reason why she should refuse to speak to Goldman Sachs or any group that is willing to give her a forum. Who knows, maybe she'll say something worth hearing, something that might make someone in the audience go 'hmm' and reconsider his position. The only ones who reject such a possibility are those so sure of their own righteousness that they have never, ever allowed an argument to penetrate their skulls that might threaten to change what passes for a mind - and these days such blockheads are just as likely to style themselves 'progressive' as 'conservative'.
We're devolving back to the Silly Sixties. God help us.
150
Interesting rationaliztion. Maybe Hillary will use it the next time the subject comes up, as it will. Its the Greed defense: I only did it so I could change the hearts and minds of the heartless, self-interested, and self congratulatory. I am sure it worked.
4
You are so right--Bernie and his supporter are just so jealous they can't get the $250,000/speech gravy train. Obviously, all the financiers/corps./foreign governments want is to hear the Clintons brilliant analysis. They expect nothing in return for their $250,000. No corporation gives money expecting anything in return.
How naive for anyone to really think Congress/President are swayed by money. Decades have proven they only have our interests at heart! I hope the Clintons are able to raise their speaking fees to a million a pop.
How naive for anyone to really think Congress/President are swayed by money. Decades have proven they only have our interests at heart! I hope the Clintons are able to raise their speaking fees to a million a pop.
2
Spoken like a true capitalist. Yeah, those "Silly Sixties" when we marched for civil rights and fought to end yet another unjust, corporate-prolonged war. Where were you when we were getting high?
2
The Clintons earned 153 million on speeches so you can come to your own conclusions on that one. Plenty of people are jealous of Shkreli who is a hedge fund manager with a vocation few are able to achieve. Money still makes the world go around and around and around....just don't fall off.
1
The revelation about Rubio being hired to teach at a university and then missing classes is just damning. This reeks of impropriety. It is disqualifying. And Hillary, you are in the same boat.
Gail, you have a wonderful gift inextricably meshing intelligent humor with larger, albeit pathetic truths. You continue to remind us that what's behind the face paint of a clown is often very, very sad.......
...however, The Show Must Go On. Not even the participants in this year's freak show, orchestrated by the media ringmaster, can be this stupid. This says a lot more about the paying audience, and a lot less about the characters behind the face paint. As Grandma always said, "you get what you pay for." No arguing with that, Grandma....
...however, The Show Must Go On. Not even the participants in this year's freak show, orchestrated by the media ringmaster, can be this stupid. This says a lot more about the paying audience, and a lot less about the characters behind the face paint. As Grandma always said, "you get what you pay for." No arguing with that, Grandma....
1
In regards to Hillary's speeches to Goldman Sachs, she should just respond by saying: "If a spoiled-rotten kid is going to give me his allowance money to tell him to clean up his room and behave better, then I'll gladly take his money." Then release the transcripts.
7
And Gail you neglected to mention Ted Cruz the snake oil salesman AKA Mr. Haney of Green Acres ..he is running for Presidency and is disliked by all in the Congress and no one there have supported him yet for some unknown reason Ted is up in the polls.
3
These attacks on Martin Shkreli need to stop! Someone should ask the elephant in the room to clear her throat. Enough with the dog whistles. And the coded remarks. The attacks on Mr. Shkreli are little more than anti-Albanianism at its most virulent. And I resent it. His parents were janitors. Only in America can this happen. Also anti-Croatianism. Let the young man speak his mind. There are a few imbeciles in the Congress. You could look it up.
1
Thank you.
If you hadn't mentioned Shkreli's ethnic background I would have never known. I thought he was just an arrogant, greedy prig.
Just goes to show that no matter where you hail from you can end up an arrogant, greedy prig.
If you hadn't mentioned Shkreli's ethnic background I would have never known. I thought he was just an arrogant, greedy prig.
Just goes to show that no matter where you hail from you can end up an arrogant, greedy prig.
3
Hillary Clinton was a dream candidate: brilliant, hardworking, experienced. But she ignored the first rule of politics:
You cannot look like you've been bought.
This mess is going to destroy her candidacy because too many people look at it and gag. Maybe Goldman bought her, maybe they didn't. It doesn't matter. They paid her a small fortune. Why'd she take it? Because they offered.
The Clintons' net worth is $100+ million. Why don't the Clintons ever feel like they have enough money? While Hillary is running for president, Bill's still out there giving speeches at a quarter mil a pop. According to folksy Bill, "I gotta pay the bills."
The Clintons are sleazy people.
This is one reason Bernie Sanders looks so good: he can't be bought. When Bernie brought up politicians and Wall Street at the debate, Hillary radiated contempt for him, like "Who do you think you are?" Her contempt was really for all of us who question her judgement.
As far as Hillary's claim "everybody does it" - not true. Jimmy Carter is universally admired and beloved because he's never done any such thing. Carter left the presidency to return to his old farmhouse in Plains, teach Sunday school and run a charity that's eliminated river blindness in Africa. Jimmy Carter's a hero.
The DNC is in the bag to nominate Hillary no matter what - the DNC's a corrupt private club. Then Hillary will lose the election. Lots of us see this coming. They can't say they were never warned.
You cannot look like you've been bought.
This mess is going to destroy her candidacy because too many people look at it and gag. Maybe Goldman bought her, maybe they didn't. It doesn't matter. They paid her a small fortune. Why'd she take it? Because they offered.
The Clintons' net worth is $100+ million. Why don't the Clintons ever feel like they have enough money? While Hillary is running for president, Bill's still out there giving speeches at a quarter mil a pop. According to folksy Bill, "I gotta pay the bills."
The Clintons are sleazy people.
This is one reason Bernie Sanders looks so good: he can't be bought. When Bernie brought up politicians and Wall Street at the debate, Hillary radiated contempt for him, like "Who do you think you are?" Her contempt was really for all of us who question her judgement.
As far as Hillary's claim "everybody does it" - not true. Jimmy Carter is universally admired and beloved because he's never done any such thing. Carter left the presidency to return to his old farmhouse in Plains, teach Sunday school and run a charity that's eliminated river blindness in Africa. Jimmy Carter's a hero.
The DNC is in the bag to nominate Hillary no matter what - the DNC's a corrupt private club. Then Hillary will lose the election. Lots of us see this coming. They can't say they were never warned.
91
fast and furious: Agree with a lot you say, but does anybody ever "have enough money"? Like corporations who stick it to us and "divert" to overseas to avoid taxes - as if they never have "enough"? However, agree she didn't show good judgement in taking those $ perks from Goldman Sachs when she was planning to run for Prez! But don't be too sure she won't win the election.
Hillary Clinton was foolish, fast&furious, to accept the large speaking fees from Wall Street firms, and she should follow the advice of Gail Collins and write checks returning the fees. But, fast&furious, as ridiculous as it may be to say it, the fees are not large enough to buy her or to buy her husband.
There was nothing hidden about her appearances or the fees. Her credentials for reform of banks and brokerage firms are known. Calling the Clintons "sleazy people" is a very pejorative description, fast@furious, as you know. It smacks of the politics of envy, which phrase conservatives use to attack anyone championing social change and progressively high taxes for the rich.
There was nothing hidden about her appearances or the fees. Her credentials for reform of banks and brokerage firms are known. Calling the Clintons "sleazy people" is a very pejorative description, fast@furious, as you know. It smacks of the politics of envy, which phrase conservatives use to attack anyone championing social change and progressively high taxes for the rich.
2
Sanders isn't for sale, Sanders can't be bought .... Has anyone, over Sanders' years in Congress, actually made him an offer? I wonder whether a cranky ideologue from a sparsely populated state, who, rather than cultivating contacts and alliances that enabled political animals of previous generations such as LBJ, Everett Dirksen, et al. to trade horses and get things done, has prized his idiosyncracy and isolation from politics, is particularly appealing goods. Is it possible no one's trying to buy him because he just hasn't got much of anything to sell?
2
Little Marty's behavior and mannerism fit the profile of certain emotion's disorder. Having the patient running the insane asylum is a scary proposition. Congress should understand that.
In defend of former Sen Santorum, the Republican pride is to do nothing - better yet, to obstruct. So, one can see why he endorsed Sen Rubio.
Bernie has definitely gotten under Hilary's skin. But you know, like it or not, it is possible a lot of Bernie's followers - and their parents' - have hoped for working for Goldman Sachs. Is GS the vampire squid? In some aspects, it is possible. In some other aspects, it touches a lot of institutions and people, here and elsewhere. Extremists like to see only black and white by blanking out the multi-color world.
Before commenting on Trump, let's do Jeb first. Don't knock Barbara, getting Mom to campaign for him is probably the best (relatively speaking) thing he has done to burnish his credentials as the next Commander in Chief of America. Because none of his commercials has demonstrated that, past, present or future.
About Trump, his genius is to hog the limelight. But is he really any difference from little Marty? Except one is smarter in conning others?
In defend of former Sen Santorum, the Republican pride is to do nothing - better yet, to obstruct. So, one can see why he endorsed Sen Rubio.
Bernie has definitely gotten under Hilary's skin. But you know, like it or not, it is possible a lot of Bernie's followers - and their parents' - have hoped for working for Goldman Sachs. Is GS the vampire squid? In some aspects, it is possible. In some other aspects, it touches a lot of institutions and people, here and elsewhere. Extremists like to see only black and white by blanking out the multi-color world.
Before commenting on Trump, let's do Jeb first. Don't knock Barbara, getting Mom to campaign for him is probably the best (relatively speaking) thing he has done to burnish his credentials as the next Commander in Chief of America. Because none of his commercials has demonstrated that, past, present or future.
About Trump, his genius is to hog the limelight. But is he really any difference from little Marty? Except one is smarter in conning others?
Money talks,and Hillary expects us to believe she didn't listen. Ha!
29
And that makes her different from every other politician . . . how?
2
Mr. Shkreli is no different from the Wall Street banisters and the millionaire CEOs that the Republicans fawn over and protect. The difference is he's dumb enough to smirk while the oily billionaires in their three piece suits smack of patriotism and the American Dream.
Mr. Shkreli's assessment of congressmen was spot on.
Mr. Shkreli's assessment of congressmen was spot on.
3
Martin Shkreli - more evidence of what a debilitating disease affluenza can be.
8
I love you Gail but please don't fall victim the "it is what it is" virus!
2
@trblmkr
You mean it's not what it looks like?
You mean it's not what it looks like?
4
Showing contempt for Congress isn't necessarily a bad thing. Look at how Congress treats us.
4
I like Bush as a person but he has no common sense. When the crowd didn't clap on their own that's when he should have taken the cue and left. To ask them to clap,well what can I say?
Dear Ms. Collins,
Is it possible for Mr. Shkreli to run for president? The GOP/TP/KOCH AFFILIATE ought to draft this guy or, minimally, plug him into each of the remaining "debates" if, for nothing else, to make the rest of their candidates look almost human. Imagine an exchange between he and the Trumpster/Dumpster,
Trump: "Shrekli? Where YOU from? You're an idiot who couldn't manage a toilet much less the country"!
Shrekli: "I take the Fifth, amendment that is. Did I mention I sell aspirin for $90.00 a tablet to old people" (Applause and raucous cheers from the audience)?
As for Mr. Santorum's "endorsement" of Mr.Rubio it reminds me of what Hitler probably said when he heard Mussolini had tossed his hat in with the Axis; "Oh NO!!!"
And I agree; they should allow Ms. Fiorina on the stage. In true, old white guy fashion, she will be on the stage barefoot, cooking some cookies and speaking only when spoken to (I'm not sure about the "pregnant" part).
Since you brought up H.R.C. (Or H.C. as she defines herself lately), so she's awash with money some taken from corporations, one question; did she speak to them before or after the economic meltdown? If before, maybe her "talks" had something to do with it (I'm just writing that to give the GOP/TP/K.A. some further, useless ammunition to attack her with).
And poor, old "JEB!" He'd be well advised to recruit his mother as the candidate for V.P.; he might actually generate some interest.
THIS is democracy at work!
Is it possible for Mr. Shkreli to run for president? The GOP/TP/KOCH AFFILIATE ought to draft this guy or, minimally, plug him into each of the remaining "debates" if, for nothing else, to make the rest of their candidates look almost human. Imagine an exchange between he and the Trumpster/Dumpster,
Trump: "Shrekli? Where YOU from? You're an idiot who couldn't manage a toilet much less the country"!
Shrekli: "I take the Fifth, amendment that is. Did I mention I sell aspirin for $90.00 a tablet to old people" (Applause and raucous cheers from the audience)?
As for Mr. Santorum's "endorsement" of Mr.Rubio it reminds me of what Hitler probably said when he heard Mussolini had tossed his hat in with the Axis; "Oh NO!!!"
And I agree; they should allow Ms. Fiorina on the stage. In true, old white guy fashion, she will be on the stage barefoot, cooking some cookies and speaking only when spoken to (I'm not sure about the "pregnant" part).
Since you brought up H.R.C. (Or H.C. as she defines herself lately), so she's awash with money some taken from corporations, one question; did she speak to them before or after the economic meltdown? If before, maybe her "talks" had something to do with it (I'm just writing that to give the GOP/TP/K.A. some further, useless ammunition to attack her with).
And poor, old "JEB!" He'd be well advised to recruit his mother as the candidate for V.P.; he might actually generate some interest.
THIS is democracy at work!
Watching Martin Shkreli's childish disrespectful full-of-self behavior before the congressional committee made me wonder if he's practicing to be the next Donald Trump--with a big dollop of Ted Cruz--so he can run for office.
4
What is the difference between Rubio catching a check for doing nothing and Hillary catching a check to do nothing. Answer, nothing. Maybe size and scale, but hey, $800,000 to put your name on a ghost written book isn't bad. Not to go into resumeville, $675000 to a former senator/first lady/sec of state probably is a little undervalued relative to a know nothing rookie senator. But in both cases, there will be a quid pro quo. One would be naive to not know that. All the more reason to pony up a few bucks, send them to Bernie Sanders and join the rest of we the people, not we the billionaires.
1
Yes, Shkreli is despicable in so many ways. But I must admit that his utterly rude behavior in the congressional committee hearing made me laugh out loud. His complete disrespect for the process reminded me of the complete disrespect committee members frequently give to those who testify. What Shkreli dished out was really no different than what Mrs. Clinton has received in chambers. What goes round comes round.
169
well said and i agree. it also shows the rich's contempt for any consequences. because there are none, the rich know they put those congressmen in office and they can remove them. i'm can't be frightened by someone i control and it's kind of funny when they think they can frighten me.
2
I think you are right on with your comment. I've watched a number of these adversarial Committee witch-hunts and have come away disgusted with the behavior of the House members. They are rude, uncaring about facts, posing for the camera's and disrespectful of the process. If they did not have such gigantic egos they would be ashamed to see a video of how they act.
3
"Marco Rubio, you're no Dan Quayle."
6
"She had a somewhat less awful response at the debate, but then was unable to say whether she’d ever release the speech transcripts. (“I will look into it.”) The situation here is clear. Clinton is never going to say she’s sorry, release transcripts or announce that she’s decided to clear everything up by donating $675,000 to charity. It is what it is, and you’re going to have to take it or leave it."
Why not release the transcripts of those speeches? Because Mrs Clinton knows what is in them could be incriminating? Probably.
As for Mr Shkreli, he is a monster and represents everything about the drug industry which is evil. Too bad we're not back in the Middle Ages when he could be stoned to death. Just kidding.
Why not release the transcripts of those speeches? Because Mrs Clinton knows what is in them could be incriminating? Probably.
As for Mr Shkreli, he is a monster and represents everything about the drug industry which is evil. Too bad we're not back in the Middle Ages when he could be stoned to death. Just kidding.
3
Watching a 32 year old smirking before an ( illustrious?) panel of legislators castigating his financial dealings involving medicinal drugs was a study in hypocrisy. Citizens in this country pay more for medical treatments and drugs then other countries. Yes, Obamacare is law, but certainly needs serious improvement. With a republican president this law will be defeated.
Eight years watching a congress accomplishing nothing that benefits the nation, it made all feel good to find a common enemy in a 32 year old punk.
Eight years watching a congress accomplishing nothing that benefits the nation, it made all feel good to find a common enemy in a 32 year old punk.
5
Could the House oversight committee members have gotten around Shkreli's assertion of his right to not incriminate himself under the Fifth Amendment by prefacing each question with the phrase: "Without incriminating yourself, . . . (insert question)?"
2
I believe Trey Gowdy tried that tact on him to no avail.
1
Crikey, Gail, another breath of fresh air from you in your "Things We Love to Loathe" piece today! Yes, I.H. (Instant Hate) for such as Shkreli, the smirking former hedge fund manager in his hoodie in front of the House Oversight Committee and Forbes Healthcare summit. In the spirit of joining you with a few more things we can agree on - yes, Rick Santorum and his crackpot idea that Rubio doesn't need a "track record" just a position as "an outsider" to win The White House! One hopes to experience the joy of seeing Trump fall like Humpty Dumpty from the wall of granite in New Hampshire. How could the masses adore someone who has been pulling the wool over their eyes since the Year Dot? Also, digging deeper into the political quag, the various tar babies that have attracted such as Hillary Clinton - i.e. scads and mountains of dough from Goldman Sachs, paid to HRC for speeches and her pearls of wisdom. Mrs. C. said, "I will look into it" - why she was paid so richly for her speeches to the Wall Street oligarchs. Wanna bet? The less said about Carly Fiorina, the better. Who is her ventriloquist? Marco Rubio's "great jobs"; can he get the same for his followers? And pathetic is Jeb Bush's Mom, Barbara Bush - "The Silver Fox", "The Enforcer" - at age 90, standing by Jebby in New Hampshire. "Please clap" said Jeb, and they did. And Hillary's shrieking "JOIN ME!" in the TV commercial, played ad infinitum, (driving us batty) are also things we love to loathe.
5
This whole thing about Bernie Sanders is "not electable" or is "the real Progressive" is off the wall. By now it should be obvious Bernie might be Electable but if Bernie is the Democratic nominee no one else will be electable down ticket. The American people would not vote for an Atheist, 22%, over a Socialist, 50%. If you believe Americans will vote for a candidate on a ticket headed by a 74 year old Jewish Socialist from New England then you probably believe Donald Trump is a lot different than Martin Shkreli. If that was the case VP Lieberman was great choice by Al Gore. Whereas if Gore had chosen as his VP....Joe Biden, he would have won his home of Tennessee and never have needed Florida or recounts. Bernie Sanders will not be the only candidate up for election in November. 26 Senate seats and the whole House of Representatives is up for Election and if Bernie is the the Democrats choice you can say goodbye to all the changes Democrats have worked for since FDR and the Supreme Court.
126
Hillary Clinton campaigned for a number of Democratic Party congressional candidates in 2014 and nearly all of them lost to Republicans. This raises the question, does she have Republican Party coattails?
During the period 2010 through 2015, Democrats lost governorships, state legislatures, and Congress in massive numbers. Sometimes when they won, it was merely because the Republican candidate was exceptionally awful. Whatever the Democrats were doing did not work. They blame Republican gerrymandering (which occurred as a result of all those Republican wins), but I don't believe that's the whole story. I think one of the main reasons Democrats lost is that they did not stand for anything except "vote for me because I want to be elected." That's hardly inspiring.
During this same period, the more liberal Democrats who campaigned on their principles, such as Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Jeff Merkely, did win elections. Sen. Bernie Sanders won re-election in 2012 with 70% of the vote.
If Democrats want to win elections, they need to change. I think Bernie Sanders would have strong coattails to bring in energetic, like-minded members of Congress with him, because of his strong message. Many in the establishment oppose him because they want to remain in their comfortable, dysfunctional rut.
During the period 2010 through 2015, Democrats lost governorships, state legislatures, and Congress in massive numbers. Sometimes when they won, it was merely because the Republican candidate was exceptionally awful. Whatever the Democrats were doing did not work. They blame Republican gerrymandering (which occurred as a result of all those Republican wins), but I don't believe that's the whole story. I think one of the main reasons Democrats lost is that they did not stand for anything except "vote for me because I want to be elected." That's hardly inspiring.
During this same period, the more liberal Democrats who campaigned on their principles, such as Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Jeff Merkely, did win elections. Sen. Bernie Sanders won re-election in 2012 with 70% of the vote.
If Democrats want to win elections, they need to change. I think Bernie Sanders would have strong coattails to bring in energetic, like-minded members of Congress with him, because of his strong message. Many in the establishment oppose him because they want to remain in their comfortable, dysfunctional rut.
4
Have you heard him on foreign policy? He's clueless and doesn't care much to change that. I'm sorry, his heart is in the right place re big banks, but he's not electable as POTUS. Can you imagine him dealing with Putin?
4
Goodness, you put Bernie Sanders and Joe Lieberman in the same category simply because they're both Jewish? By that reasoning, Ben Carson should be doing very well with African-American voters. Last time I checked, that wasn't happening.
4
Many will look the other way until it is a drug they take with a price that challenges the mortgage or outright implies their mortality is on the line. HIV, not their problem. Didn't Shkreli hike the cost of the antibiotic used to treat Lyme disease? What others? What is next? Who will copy his ploy?
And actually every drug company is gouging us all thanks to the GOP making negotiating drug prices illegal. No negotiation. Shkreli is just exactly like the drug companies. Most people just don't know it.
And actually every drug company is gouging us all thanks to the GOP making negotiating drug prices illegal. No negotiation. Shkreli is just exactly like the drug companies. Most people just don't know it.
12
Isn't it time for America to tell Trump, "You're fired!"
Given the fact that Rubio doesn't show up to vote in the senate and didn't show up for 3 out of 10 classes of a course he was supposed to teach; if elected president, chances are--and we can all hope--he simply won't show up.
Jeb! When a comedian has to ask the audience to laugh, it's time to find a new vocation.
Shkreli has a future in the Republican Party where his smirks at and dismissal of big government authority are actually highly admired. As a Republican consultant, he can help groom future Republican candidates for public office by teaching them to be a more effective channel of older, white American fear and hatred.
Given the fact that Rubio doesn't show up to vote in the senate and didn't show up for 3 out of 10 classes of a course he was supposed to teach; if elected president, chances are--and we can all hope--he simply won't show up.
Jeb! When a comedian has to ask the audience to laugh, it's time to find a new vocation.
Shkreli has a future in the Republican Party where his smirks at and dismissal of big government authority are actually highly admired. As a Republican consultant, he can help groom future Republican candidates for public office by teaching them to be a more effective channel of older, white American fear and hatred.
6
Shkreli's tweet after taking (or drinking) the Fifth puts you at one with him in at least this area--we are not running low on "imbeciles."
3
Marco Rubio is Will Rodgers kind of guy. Nothing to fear as President. He will rarely show up to do his job so pocket vetoes will rule - Less government , more freedom - two branches doing zilch.neither in session.
3
Shkreli's attitude and behavior was no worse than Trump's or Cruz's, along with Limbaugh's -- and their supporters and followers probably admired him for it.
4
Drag in your 90 year old mother who uses a walker and in the snow no less. Disgraceful.
13
Disappointed that you didn't include Christie. He's so easy to loathe.
11
"Hillary Clinton should not have given those speeches for Goldman Sachs." You are so correct, but add to that she and Bill should not have been giving $250,000 a pop speeches to the financial industry since leaving office. Hillary took almost $3 million in speeches in '14-'15.
And what about Hillary's $2.8 million in speeches to medical trade groups in '13-'14. That couldn't have anything to do with why she now openly advocates against single payer?
Oh, and Bill's keynote address to the private health insurance trade group in '15. A return visit after bringing in $175,000 in '10, speaking to the same trade group after the ACA passed.
You need some pretty strong drugs to believe Hillary taking tens of millions from medical trade groups and corporations doesn't effect her judgement. But if you take those drugs, there are lots of nasty side effects.
And what about Hillary's $2.8 million in speeches to medical trade groups in '13-'14. That couldn't have anything to do with why she now openly advocates against single payer?
Oh, and Bill's keynote address to the private health insurance trade group in '15. A return visit after bringing in $175,000 in '10, speaking to the same trade group after the ACA passed.
You need some pretty strong drugs to believe Hillary taking tens of millions from medical trade groups and corporations doesn't effect her judgement. But if you take those drugs, there are lots of nasty side effects.
14
When you put it like this, how can you (we) go on?
We have a capitalist who is so disgusting that even the Republicans want to strangle him.
We have the Republican establishment's hope about whom even his supporter cannot find a good thing to say.
We have a billionaire who wont even spend his money on himself.
We have a "progressive" Democrat who gives advice to the shadow bankers that she wont share with the people.
Meanwhile there are diseases out of control, civil wars in the Middle East, economies (other than in the US) in dire straights, cities in America being poisoned by neglect, and the old rockers dying off.
Come on, Gail, make us see the lighter side of this!
We have a capitalist who is so disgusting that even the Republicans want to strangle him.
We have the Republican establishment's hope about whom even his supporter cannot find a good thing to say.
We have a billionaire who wont even spend his money on himself.
We have a "progressive" Democrat who gives advice to the shadow bankers that she wont share with the people.
Meanwhile there are diseases out of control, civil wars in the Middle East, economies (other than in the US) in dire straights, cities in America being poisoned by neglect, and the old rockers dying off.
Come on, Gail, make us see the lighter side of this!
4
Ms Collins, it's 5:30am, it's 10 degrees, there's a foot of new snow out there, and you got laughs from both of us.
Coffee & Collins, a great way to start the day. Thanks.
Despite the twisted syntax Santorum has never been more honest.
Shkreli -- Clarence Darrow said it best, "I have never killed a man but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure."
Coffee & Collins, a great way to start the day. Thanks.
Despite the twisted syntax Santorum has never been more honest.
Shkreli -- Clarence Darrow said it best, "I have never killed a man but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure."
9
God bless you, Gail. I hope you take this as the compliment it is, You're one funny Dame
dame (urban dictionary definition)
A classy, beautiful woman. The type one can only dream of going out with...and read
Laughing out loud, Joseph
dame (urban dictionary definition)
A classy, beautiful woman. The type one can only dream of going out with...and read
Laughing out loud, Joseph
9
Donald Trump explained very clearly early on in this campaign season that he donated to politicians' campaigns, including that of Mrs. Clinton, because he expected to be waited on.
Even if Mrs. Clinton sincerely thinks she is not going to do any favors in return for the millions she has got, she is deluding herself. Anyone who accepts that kind of favor is beholden to the sugar daddy. It is not only passing legislation, it is also how vigorously one prosecutes the crooks as Senator Warren reminded us so recently in her Op-Ed.
Here's that photo of Mrs. Clinton at Trumps's wedding. Why would someone hobnob with such a loathsome man? It doesn't look like she is having much success keeping him downwind of herself.
http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_content_widt...
Even if Mrs. Clinton sincerely thinks she is not going to do any favors in return for the millions she has got, she is deluding herself. Anyone who accepts that kind of favor is beholden to the sugar daddy. It is not only passing legislation, it is also how vigorously one prosecutes the crooks as Senator Warren reminded us so recently in her Op-Ed.
Here's that photo of Mrs. Clinton at Trumps's wedding. Why would someone hobnob with such a loathsome man? It doesn't look like she is having much success keeping him downwind of herself.
http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_content_widt...
6
A social event isn't the same as a business transaction, but, like it or not, Trump does have some influence. Why would any politician want to possibly offend him by not attending his wedding? Just guessing that Bernie wasn't invited. Mrs. Clinton's own attitude and behavior with regard to marriage are miles away from those of either man. As a voter, I prefer someone who doesn't quit when the going gets tough.
3
Rick Santorum, for all his anti-gay chatter, clearly has a man-crush on Marco. He has turned into a tongue-tied school boy at the thought of Rubio.
12
@Tom
What gave him away -- the Argyle sweater vests?
What gave him away -- the Argyle sweater vests?
3
What Marco Rubio was a professor and he didn't show up tothat job either?
12
Martin Shkreli's big mistake during his questioning, was not somehow justifying his price gouging as a defense against Obama and the ACA or slipping in a sly reference to Benghazi and Hilary Clinton. Trey Gowdy and the other Republican Congress members, presumably still smarting from their embarrassing appearances during those hearings, might have tried to get him off the hook then.
7
Santorum's hubris is shocking: "I was deeply unpopular in my own state, so I think I'll run for the presidency." This is only outdone by Liz Cheney, who is deeply unpopular IN HER OWN FAMILY, but has now decided to run for congress.
11
.
.
I recognize there are fewer than 30 readers who have been heard from as I type this, but no kind words for hopeless Jeb? Gail probably met some old friends of his late grandfather, Prescott, when she worked in Hartford.
Prescott Bush's son George had 4 sons. George wanted them to have meaningful roles in public life -- just what Joseph P. Kennedy wanted of his 4 sons.
But a lot of ambitions are cut short, through tragedy or Savings & Loans or otherwise. And new generations want their family name to keep some polish. Rory and Patrick Kennedy; Jenna and Barbara and George P. Bush -- they would not be helped if an uncle went around losing nominations.
Jeb can see that the Kennedy name still has some heft: Caroline Kennedy, as skilled in public office as in Japanese writing, got herself named Ambassador to Japan without a contentious committee interrogation even though her grandfather was a terrible ambassador who earned some of his money in questionable ways.
Jeb wants the same for his family, the Bushes; so he'll have to stop bleeding money and personal capital, and just end this thing. We know he can't write a speech, so here are some words he can use to bow out:
"For me, a few hours ago, this campaign came to an end. For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die."
I know those lines are unoriginal, but not to worry: He will deliver them in an entirely unmemorable manner.
.
I recognize there are fewer than 30 readers who have been heard from as I type this, but no kind words for hopeless Jeb? Gail probably met some old friends of his late grandfather, Prescott, when she worked in Hartford.
Prescott Bush's son George had 4 sons. George wanted them to have meaningful roles in public life -- just what Joseph P. Kennedy wanted of his 4 sons.
But a lot of ambitions are cut short, through tragedy or Savings & Loans or otherwise. And new generations want their family name to keep some polish. Rory and Patrick Kennedy; Jenna and Barbara and George P. Bush -- they would not be helped if an uncle went around losing nominations.
Jeb can see that the Kennedy name still has some heft: Caroline Kennedy, as skilled in public office as in Japanese writing, got herself named Ambassador to Japan without a contentious committee interrogation even though her grandfather was a terrible ambassador who earned some of his money in questionable ways.
Jeb wants the same for his family, the Bushes; so he'll have to stop bleeding money and personal capital, and just end this thing. We know he can't write a speech, so here are some words he can use to bow out:
"For me, a few hours ago, this campaign came to an end. For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die."
I know those lines are unoriginal, but not to worry: He will deliver them in an entirely unmemorable manner.
7
"I know those lines are unoriginal, but not to worry: He will deliver them in an enteirely unmemorable manner".
And then he'll ask for applause. To keep Tinkerbelle alive.
And then he'll ask for applause. To keep Tinkerbelle alive.
3
On the other hand, the one feeling most Americans share with Shkreli is an absolute contempt for Congress.
Check the polls!
Check the polls!
13
As a freshman at Michigan State in 1972, I campaigned for George McGovern for president and for a number of local candidates. I felt every bit as excited about getting rid of Nixon with an honest and sincere northeasterner as so many commenters here feel about Bernie Sanders.
I know it will seem silly, but I have this horrible sense of deja vue watching so many Democrats swoon over another northeasterner with purity as his primary quality. They then trash a smart, experienced candidate because she isn't perfect or as pure as a saint (when did saintliness become a presidential quality?).
I was maybe the only person in the country who was shocked, truly shocked, that Wednesday morning in 1972 to find that McGovern, that fine and honest man, had lost to President Nixon, who had proven himself untrustworthy at every turn. Turned out that the great American middle doesn't really want purity. They want pragmatism and someone who can make the wheels of government work for us.
I fear we are setting ourselves up for failure in November, no matter who the candidate is. My feeling is that Bernie can't win, and if Hillary is the nominee, young democrats will be so demoralized by all this purity talk that they'll stay home. If I didn't have children who will have to live with the overheated, warring world a Republican would create, I might not care. But I'd really like for my future grandchildren to have a world one can inhabit.
I know it will seem silly, but I have this horrible sense of deja vue watching so many Democrats swoon over another northeasterner with purity as his primary quality. They then trash a smart, experienced candidate because she isn't perfect or as pure as a saint (when did saintliness become a presidential quality?).
I was maybe the only person in the country who was shocked, truly shocked, that Wednesday morning in 1972 to find that McGovern, that fine and honest man, had lost to President Nixon, who had proven himself untrustworthy at every turn. Turned out that the great American middle doesn't really want purity. They want pragmatism and someone who can make the wheels of government work for us.
I fear we are setting ourselves up for failure in November, no matter who the candidate is. My feeling is that Bernie can't win, and if Hillary is the nominee, young democrats will be so demoralized by all this purity talk that they'll stay home. If I didn't have children who will have to live with the overheated, warring world a Republican would create, I might not care. But I'd really like for my future grandchildren to have a world one can inhabit.
54
Paula I share your concern, but for the record, McGovern was from South Dakota
1
"I felt every bit as excited about getting rid of Nixon with an honest and sincere north easterner as so many commenters here feel about Bernie Sanders." Excuse me , but did you just imply that McGovern was the "honest and sincere north easterner" who would "get rid of Nixon?" In honor of the B-24 bomber pilot in WW 2 who served his country in war and in peace; George McGovern was born in S. Dakota, served as a U.S. Senator and died in S. Dakota. True, he didn't get rid of Nixon, perhaps because he reneged on his Vice President pick, Missouri Senator Thomas Eagleton.
What I hate most about this campaign is the conclusion: "It is what it is, and you’re going to have to take it or leave it.".
Why? Are we all doomed to have to take the lesser of two evils?
Why? Are we all doomed to have to take the lesser of two evils?
5
Vote as you wish, be prepared to live with the results.
3
Just reading Gail Collins’ list of people getting their comeuppance brings a smile to my face.
It could be nothing more than schadenfreude, but the pleasure is unifying when unpleasant people fall upon hard times or, better yet, when anyone fails at doing what they claim is within their field of expertise.
Maybe it’s nothing more than the old description of the fine line between tragedy and comedy. Tragedy is when I slip on a banana peel and skin my knee on the pavement. Comedy is when you slip on a banana peel and fall headfirst down an open manhole.
The only problem with the column is the uneven mix of events and people. Martin Shkreli is the only person who we can agree did really loathsome things and laughed about it. The others, from Marco Rubio to Hillary Clinton to Jeb Bush, have been inept in trying to rationalize the particular behavior which Gail Collins describes.
Point of view matters. In the 18th century Horace Walpole wrote, “The world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those that feel.” Interesting that Walpole saw thinking and feeling as mutually exclusive.
It could be nothing more than schadenfreude, but the pleasure is unifying when unpleasant people fall upon hard times or, better yet, when anyone fails at doing what they claim is within their field of expertise.
Maybe it’s nothing more than the old description of the fine line between tragedy and comedy. Tragedy is when I slip on a banana peel and skin my knee on the pavement. Comedy is when you slip on a banana peel and fall headfirst down an open manhole.
The only problem with the column is the uneven mix of events and people. Martin Shkreli is the only person who we can agree did really loathsome things and laughed about it. The others, from Marco Rubio to Hillary Clinton to Jeb Bush, have been inept in trying to rationalize the particular behavior which Gail Collins describes.
Point of view matters. In the 18th century Horace Walpole wrote, “The world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those that feel.” Interesting that Walpole saw thinking and feeling as mutually exclusive.
2
The problem is that the amounts get out of hand.
If we set a $650k/hour HRC fee as 1 unit, then the Rubio advance of $800k for say 60 hours of writing becomes 0.02 units and his teaching job of $69k/20 hours is 0.005 units.
If we set a $650k/hour HRC fee as 1 unit, then the Rubio advance of $800k for say 60 hours of writing becomes 0.02 units and his teaching job of $69k/20 hours is 0.005 units.
1
Jeb! the worst campaigner in history? Old news:
http://userctl.com/BlueVsRed/023.png
As far as things we love to loathe, why don't you write a whole column on Hillary Clinton?
I am glad that you brought up the ill-advised Wall Street speeches, but there it a lot more there if you dig a little bit.
Attacking Bernie on the issues is one thing, but personally attacking him with lies and innuendo is another.
Given the brouhaha around Ted Cruz's use of "New York Values" I am surprised that nobody has taken exception to Hillary's use of the phrase "artful smear":
http://userctl.com/BlueVsRed/050.png
Hillary should quit worrying about Bernie and concentrate on getting Bernie's supporters to like her. Going negative on Bernie will only turn off us Bernie supporters, why can't she tell us about her good points instead?
Is it because Hillary has been flip-flopping positions and contorting herself to please her Wall Street masters for so long she has forgotten who she really is and what she really believes in?
Come on Gail, be a real journalist for once. Or are you cutting Hillary some slack because you are angling for a Press Secretary gig if she wins the Presidency?
http://userctl.com/BlueVsRed/023.png
As far as things we love to loathe, why don't you write a whole column on Hillary Clinton?
I am glad that you brought up the ill-advised Wall Street speeches, but there it a lot more there if you dig a little bit.
Attacking Bernie on the issues is one thing, but personally attacking him with lies and innuendo is another.
Given the brouhaha around Ted Cruz's use of "New York Values" I am surprised that nobody has taken exception to Hillary's use of the phrase "artful smear":
http://userctl.com/BlueVsRed/050.png
Hillary should quit worrying about Bernie and concentrate on getting Bernie's supporters to like her. Going negative on Bernie will only turn off us Bernie supporters, why can't she tell us about her good points instead?
Is it because Hillary has been flip-flopping positions and contorting herself to please her Wall Street masters for so long she has forgotten who she really is and what she really believes in?
Come on Gail, be a real journalist for once. Or are you cutting Hillary some slack because you are angling for a Press Secretary gig if she wins the Presidency?
7
"Please clap." A fitting swansong for the Bush dynasty.
13
Just a couple things... The crowd laughed at Mrs. Clinton's response in the forum. I did also. With her not against her. This is the media heads changing the story. When she tried to explain further is when she kind of fumbled around. And I do not want to see or hear Carly Fiorina any more. Nada, never , no way, please.
15
Notice how Hillary's "That's what they offered" is just the flip side of Shkreli's "that's what it costs"? In both cases, the bottom line is to scoop up all the cash one can. In both cases, Americans recoil in disgust.
13
Read her policy on dealing with the financial system and check back when you see that change. Until then, check your motivated reasoning at the door.
2
Rubio must be thrilled to have an endorsement from somebody who sounds his praises so loudly and articulately. As for how he rakes in money and does nothing in return, doesn't that prove that a person isn't necessarily bought by money they accept? Yes it does. Oh good. Let’s apply that to Hillary.
God no! We need to trash her. In Bernie's name of course.
Mind you, I must say, much as I respect, like and support HRC, I also want to shake her occasionally. "I know I'm innocent so I'm not going to waste my time defending myself" is sometimes the smartest policy because you avoid a debate with accusers who have no investment in the truth.
Look at George Clooney—ooh, yes, let’s look at him. When accused of being gay he said hotly denying it would be saying there’s something wrong with being gay. Wouldn’t affirm it either. It’s nobody’s business he said.
OK, that comparison doesn’t work. Let’s move onto Trump. Many say his followers can’t differentiate between reality and reality TV but actually he’s the one who doesn't understand that media attention for being a loud-mouthed bigot isn't the same as getting people's attention through real campaigning. Ergo, Iowa. Trump just doesn't get it. His 'supporters' did. They stayed home, presumably to watch TV. They're smarter than he is. Which isn't difficult.
So far the GOP circus has been worrying but Iowa changed things for me. I was truly entertained when Trump lost. Now I think I’ll go back to thinking about George Clooney.
God no! We need to trash her. In Bernie's name of course.
Mind you, I must say, much as I respect, like and support HRC, I also want to shake her occasionally. "I know I'm innocent so I'm not going to waste my time defending myself" is sometimes the smartest policy because you avoid a debate with accusers who have no investment in the truth.
Look at George Clooney—ooh, yes, let’s look at him. When accused of being gay he said hotly denying it would be saying there’s something wrong with being gay. Wouldn’t affirm it either. It’s nobody’s business he said.
OK, that comparison doesn’t work. Let’s move onto Trump. Many say his followers can’t differentiate between reality and reality TV but actually he’s the one who doesn't understand that media attention for being a loud-mouthed bigot isn't the same as getting people's attention through real campaigning. Ergo, Iowa. Trump just doesn't get it. His 'supporters' did. They stayed home, presumably to watch TV. They're smarter than he is. Which isn't difficult.
So far the GOP circus has been worrying but Iowa changed things for me. I was truly entertained when Trump lost. Now I think I’ll go back to thinking about George Clooney.
142
But Rubio's parents were Cuban immigrants before The Revolution. Doesn't that mean something? The electorate ought to relate to that fact since most of their parents, or grandparents were immigrants from some place or other. The forebears of all the other candidates were also immigrants. His other attributes are that he can absolutely stay on script. Despite the question, he has the same answer for it. Some say he is robotic, but he has such a nice smile. Why a University would hire someone with a mediocre academic background to be a visiting professor escapes me, but Rubio has a nice smile and he has memorized his campaign line so well, he doesn't even need q cards anymore. As for Hillary's $675,000 speech, I want to read it. The Gettysburg address didn't earn anywhere near that much in all the years since it was spoken. And I'll bet she would like to believe, as Lincoln did, that the world will little note, nor long remember what she said. As for the Jebster having his mom campaign for him. Well, she is a nice lady. Enough said.
10
Sorry...no one is taking Micro to task for immigrant parents...only for being misleading and allowing the impression that they were escaping from Castro rather than Battista. You have a rosy future in political marketing.
1
You missed the point. He was claiming that his folks fled Castro making them heroic while they had only the same status as most of the rest of the Americans whose parents came here for a better life. And I am not a political marketer, nor would I want to be. I can't determine whether your "Micro" is intentional. I hope it was because I like it so much.
2
Interesting fact also voters love to " hate" Hillary Clinton even though she passes in flying colors compared to all the Republican candidates.
Most of the Hillary Clinton supporters would vote for Bernie Sanders if he becomes the nominee. But if Hillary wins so many will sit out and not vote.
Even if that allows A Republican to go to the White House.
Sanders 74 imagine if the woman there was actually 74 the whole nation will want to send her to the rocker.
Such is the Politics in America falling far behind to the rest of the World.
Oh, I am supporting Hillary Clinton not because she is a woman but happens to be one.
Most of the Hillary Clinton supporters would vote for Bernie Sanders if he becomes the nominee. But if Hillary wins so many will sit out and not vote.
Even if that allows A Republican to go to the White House.
Sanders 74 imagine if the woman there was actually 74 the whole nation will want to send her to the rocker.
Such is the Politics in America falling far behind to the rest of the World.
Oh, I am supporting Hillary Clinton not because she is a woman but happens to be one.
14
"Most of the Hillary Clinton supporters would vote for Bernie Sanders if he becomes the nominee. But if Hillary wins so many will sit out and not vote.
Even if that allows A Republican to go to the White House."
. . . and ensures that President Trump/Cruz/Rubio would get to name the next four or five members of the US Supreme Court, not to mention hundreds if not thousands of federal judgeships.
Even if that allows A Republican to go to the White House."
. . . and ensures that President Trump/Cruz/Rubio would get to name the next four or five members of the US Supreme Court, not to mention hundreds if not thousands of federal judgeships.
2
Donald is cruising to the nomination.
He is up bu double digits NATIONALLY and has no competition from the establishment hacks who have ruined the country.
His big problem is Bernie Sanders, who is beating him by double digits in national and numerous state head to head polls.
Republicans in open primary states need to vote for Hillary Clinton to get Bernie out of the way. If you support Trump, vote Clinton. Do not waste your vote.
He is up bu double digits NATIONALLY and has no competition from the establishment hacks who have ruined the country.
His big problem is Bernie Sanders, who is beating him by double digits in national and numerous state head to head polls.
Republicans in open primary states need to vote for Hillary Clinton to get Bernie out of the way. If you support Trump, vote Clinton. Do not waste your vote.
Great read, as always Gail. However, I wonder if I'm the only one out here thinking Shkreli got off too easily in this column. I must admit I was hoping you would roast him to hot ashes. Sometimes when we are confronted with someone as truly sickening as Shkreli, your laser sharp wit is the only solace we can look forward to...
11
The facts are the facts, it's just that simple. Whereas, you are always actually trying to figure stuff out. Its plain un-american.
Just don't get in the way of Capitalism.
Just don't get in the way of Capitalism.
5
Gail,
Mirthful and accurate. No other pundit can match you. I am set now for Superbowl 50. and will not think of political things until I read you again. It is a shame that your skills are not recognized. You could really give the few remaining really big banks their money's worth. I tell all my inside the beltway friends about your column and that it is the best political commentary on the scene. I am not certain but I think I heard that Marco Rubio was a former quarterback but I am not certain, if he is and your missed it, this knocked your grade down form A+ to an A.
Your stuff on Carly Fiorina did stir my thinking of why the RNC allowed this to happen. Maybe, it is a set up for a protest to bring women back into the GOP fold. Anyhow it was provocative, but I am not sure why. Probably the choice of the word "disempower" made me think of disenbowel.
Mirthful and accurate. No other pundit can match you. I am set now for Superbowl 50. and will not think of political things until I read you again. It is a shame that your skills are not recognized. You could really give the few remaining really big banks their money's worth. I tell all my inside the beltway friends about your column and that it is the best political commentary on the scene. I am not certain but I think I heard that Marco Rubio was a former quarterback but I am not certain, if he is and your missed it, this knocked your grade down form A+ to an A.
Your stuff on Carly Fiorina did stir my thinking of why the RNC allowed this to happen. Maybe, it is a set up for a protest to bring women back into the GOP fold. Anyhow it was provocative, but I am not sure why. Probably the choice of the word "disempower" made me think of disenbowel.
4
It would not have mattered whether GS offered $650,000, or $100,000. HRC would still get the same complaint!
200
and she should
3
I don't think so. 100K is substantial (for 3 speeches), but 650K is OBSCENE.
3
I get the discomfort with these large speaking fees, but how is really different than Trump selling his name, or Rubio being Braman's butt boy, or Huckabee and Carson's use of this campaign as an obvious grift, or any politician exploiting their notoriety to make a few bucks. Is it simply the gaudy amount?
Listen, we all feel the Bern, but there is just no way he wins in November folks. Hillary is all we got. I miss Obama already.
Listen, we all feel the Bern, but there is just no way he wins in November folks. Hillary is all we got. I miss Obama already.
1
Don't be so hard on Hillary, Gail. At least she steered clear of her "no individual's too powerful to jail" comment made in the previous debate.
In fact, she managed to avoid entirely the words "jail," "criminal," "fraud" and "corruption," remarkable given the recurrent Bernie themes: "corrupt campaign finance system," and "broken criminal justice system."
Goldman Sachs is the least of her worries. Her 2nd greatest worry: Cruella de Vil may have to stand next to Santa Claus until the convention or until she is indicted (worry # 1), should that come first.
P.S. Bernie was brilliant. He turned every MSNBC/Clinton trap intended to advantage Clinton back onto Clinton. With a velvet glove. He was truly masterful…
SMARTEST DEBATE COMMENT
So smart was Hillary's comment
Its truth I could not assail
"There’s no daylight on the basic premise," she said
"No individual's too powerful to jail."
Gave FBI Comey great relief, no doubt,
Obama, stunned disbelief.
Rearranging podiums on the stage, ya think?
Bernie-Biden, new leitmotif?
If she really meant what she has said
If the truth she's not perverted
(A big "if" for sure, I grant you that.)
A Saturday Night Massacre will be averted.
Concentration of money at the top
Obama in one fell swoop can cure.
A RICO conviction of Bill and Hill
Will spread their wealth around for sure.
In fact, she managed to avoid entirely the words "jail," "criminal," "fraud" and "corruption," remarkable given the recurrent Bernie themes: "corrupt campaign finance system," and "broken criminal justice system."
Goldman Sachs is the least of her worries. Her 2nd greatest worry: Cruella de Vil may have to stand next to Santa Claus until the convention or until she is indicted (worry # 1), should that come first.
P.S. Bernie was brilliant. He turned every MSNBC/Clinton trap intended to advantage Clinton back onto Clinton. With a velvet glove. He was truly masterful…
SMARTEST DEBATE COMMENT
So smart was Hillary's comment
Its truth I could not assail
"There’s no daylight on the basic premise," she said
"No individual's too powerful to jail."
Gave FBI Comey great relief, no doubt,
Obama, stunned disbelief.
Rearranging podiums on the stage, ya think?
Bernie-Biden, new leitmotif?
If she really meant what she has said
If the truth she's not perverted
(A big "if" for sure, I grant you that.)
A Saturday Night Massacre will be averted.
Concentration of money at the top
Obama in one fell swoop can cure.
A RICO conviction of Bill and Hill
Will spread their wealth around for sure.
5
Gail points out that "Clinton is never going to say she’s sorry", but why?
Because admitting to being bankster chattel is a bit undignified.
But the $675,000 from Goldman is just the tip of her 21 million dollar speech pay day compliments mostly of Wall Street firms since 2013.
Hillary says, "well, look, all the girls take it" after political office, but not all the girls then want to be elected to an office able to wield billions in financial favors for those who paid her tab.
That Hillary either fails to get this, or refuses, renders her a DINO [Democrat in Name Only], but a perfect Republican.
Because admitting to being bankster chattel is a bit undignified.
But the $675,000 from Goldman is just the tip of her 21 million dollar speech pay day compliments mostly of Wall Street firms since 2013.
Hillary says, "well, look, all the girls take it" after political office, but not all the girls then want to be elected to an office able to wield billions in financial favors for those who paid her tab.
That Hillary either fails to get this, or refuses, renders her a DINO [Democrat in Name Only], but a perfect Republican.
13
@Rev.Slick. Excellent, well written comment, with which I agree "tout a fait."You can't serve Mammon and the people at the same time. Debates with Sen. Sanders, whose intentions are dazzling in their purity, have brought this out.Twenty one milion dollars in speaking fees harvested since 2013 is more than all of those on the college lecture circuit would earn, combined,in a lifetime. Qui pro quo involved because HRC is obviously no William JENNINGS BRYAN when it comes to public speaking, nor Frank CLEMENT ,either, late Governor of Tennessee who gave one of the best keynote speeches in history at the Democratic Convention in 1956. GC's astute revelations re Rubio, that he was paid $69,000 per year as an adjunct at a Florida University raises questions re his familial connections to the Mob. Father was not a poor immigrant, arriving here shoeless and penniless in flight from Cuba. He was sponsored by "gros bonnets,"owners of Las Vegas casinos. More to this than meets the eye. In any case, "una flor" for Ms. Collins who is a great writer and humorist.
As expected, very funny column, Gail. But the joke is on the American people.
8
"Jeb Bush is the worst campaigner in the history of campaigns."
-----------------------------
Jeb lost gravitas when he lost the weight. He lost 50 pounds in six months. The energy was drained out of him.
Hope Christie and Trump hire the same dietitian.
-----------------------------
Jeb lost gravitas when he lost the weight. He lost 50 pounds in six months. The energy was drained out of him.
Hope Christie and Trump hire the same dietitian.
2
Jeb is doomed by his brother's miserable presidency.
3
A new verb is born: shkreli.
To shkreli is to deprive citizens of life, liberty and happiness in the interest of raking in mega bucks for self aggrandizement.
It also has another connotation: to hold in contempt human rights once believed to be of value in a functional democracy.
Not in common parlance until the 21st Century, the historical lexicon of scoundrels is replete with similarly distasteful words.
Only the protection of law can contain the shkrelizing instincts inherent in miscreants who profit from iniquitous injury to others.
May Shkreli pay for his malfeasance in the Courts of Justice.
To shkreli is to deprive citizens of life, liberty and happiness in the interest of raking in mega bucks for self aggrandizement.
It also has another connotation: to hold in contempt human rights once believed to be of value in a functional democracy.
Not in common parlance until the 21st Century, the historical lexicon of scoundrels is replete with similarly distasteful words.
Only the protection of law can contain the shkrelizing instincts inherent in miscreants who profit from iniquitous injury to others.
May Shkreli pay for his malfeasance in the Courts of Justice.
15
I'm beginning to think the reason Bernie raises the issue of Hillary's speaking fees is that he's jealous. Nobody has wanted to listen to him all these years. Hmmm. I wonder why? Could it be that he's accomplished nothing in his life except get a post office renamed? And now people want to vote for him?! Well when people base their decisions on debates and speeches
5
Sounds like you're jealous of the support that Bernie is getting including contributions from millions of ordinary citizens vs the the support that Hillary is getting from wealthy donors and SuperPACs.
4
Overall, I'd say it is a clear failure of the educational system. At least that's what my mother used to say. The educational system has failed us and look what we have to deal with - a guy named Shkreli (really?), a former senator who cannot put a sentence together let alone a concept, bluster, lies, lies, a spoiled, lazy kid, and an adult son who needs his Mom to help him get a job. It's the educational system - it has failed all of us.
BERNIE 2016 !!! He'll put education back in the system!
BERNIE 2016 !!! He'll put education back in the system!
10
May I remind you, Gail that you left out Sanders! But, I like him, too.
It's obvious that, Shkreli has a personality disorder. But I guess that's more prevalent among politicians than any other group. For one, the big bucks doesn't seem to do them any good. They only want more, and if they got more, they want even more.
First DC, then the Western Hemisphere, then Czechoslovakia, then the World!!!
It's obvious that, Shkreli has a personality disorder. But I guess that's more prevalent among politicians than any other group. For one, the big bucks doesn't seem to do them any good. They only want more, and if they got more, they want even more.
First DC, then the Western Hemisphere, then Czechoslovakia, then the World!!!
6
The GOP candidates appear to loathe the Establishment but we need to announce that after 2,000 years Jesus Christ is part of the Establishment.They keep quoting, praying,mis-quoting, talking to the Divine Establishment. Jesus wants some infrastructure built and less invisible hand. He doesn't like his name used in vain or vanity.
Martin Shkreli is dealing with another Establishment figure, the Devil. Martin and a large sector of the bio-tech industry appear to have embraced the Dark Side.
Rick Santorum appears lost in the Political Wilderness.
Hillary has to decide if she has spent too much mojo with the money changers.
Jeb Bush needs a visit from Tinkerbell so he can keep on burning bright. But you have to believe and clap.
Martin Shkreli is dealing with another Establishment figure, the Devil. Martin and a large sector of the bio-tech industry appear to have embraced the Dark Side.
Rick Santorum appears lost in the Political Wilderness.
Hillary has to decide if she has spent too much mojo with the money changers.
Jeb Bush needs a visit from Tinkerbell so he can keep on burning bright. But you have to believe and clap.
5
The Clintons are so nouveau - they aren't going to leave a dollar on the table if they have to crawl across the floor to snag it (or look really bad in an election year). I actually get it; it's a little like the Depression baby who sits, in her old age, in a sweltering room, because she is afraid that, if she runs the air conditioner, she'll end up homeless. I had relatives like that.
I am deciding between Hillary and Bernie, but don't see Hillary as bought and paid for - only as anxious to pile up bucks, now that she can dos so, after a lifetime of living in government housing (that's a joke, flamers) and, before Bill was elected Preisdent, supporting her family on her attorney's salary (not as much as you may think, particularly in AK, for a woman lawyer.)
The problem is, if you've always been relatively poor and then become very rich, you feel in your bones the truth of the bromide, "I've been rich and I've been poor, and rich is better." You bond with your new friends and, while not forgetting where you came from, instinctively avoid actions that may threaten your security.
I'm sure that Hillary told the truth when she said that, as far as she is concerned, her votes haven't been bought. She's being naive, however. She is no longer an activist from Yale Law School - she's a former poor girl who is now paid $650K for a speech. Inevitably, she will take the money and, consciously or not, dance with the one who brung her - it's the price of admission.
I am deciding between Hillary and Bernie, but don't see Hillary as bought and paid for - only as anxious to pile up bucks, now that she can dos so, after a lifetime of living in government housing (that's a joke, flamers) and, before Bill was elected Preisdent, supporting her family on her attorney's salary (not as much as you may think, particularly in AK, for a woman lawyer.)
The problem is, if you've always been relatively poor and then become very rich, you feel in your bones the truth of the bromide, "I've been rich and I've been poor, and rich is better." You bond with your new friends and, while not forgetting where you came from, instinctively avoid actions that may threaten your security.
I'm sure that Hillary told the truth when she said that, as far as she is concerned, her votes haven't been bought. She's being naive, however. She is no longer an activist from Yale Law School - she's a former poor girl who is now paid $650K for a speech. Inevitably, she will take the money and, consciously or not, dance with the one who brung her - it's the price of admission.
178
You seem to know a lot about Hillary Clinton's unconscious.
How long have the two of you been close?
How long have the two of you been close?
2
I, too, will give her the benefit of a doubt on her speaking fees and voting. She probably really does fool herself that is doesn't affect her decisions or her vote; however, that is self delusion. It does. Just watch the YouTube video of Elizabeth Warren being interviewed by Bill Moyers in 2004 about the consumer bankrupcy law and Hillary's vote for it.
The fab five of the supremes feel the same way about partying with the Kochs and their rulings from the bench. That is the nature of corruption. Few of us want to believe we are corrupt, so we invent rationalizations to justify our actions.
Unfortunately, unlike Bernie's reaction when Bill Clinton called him angry, Hillary does not step back and consider it, reflect on it when called out on her ties to Wall Street. Bernie reflected on the criticism aimed at him and said "yes, it is true. I am angry..." Hillary only doubles down on the defensive because she can not admit to herself the truth behind the criticism.
Those responses are very telling about the caliber, the moral honesty and maturity, of the two candidates. People capable of self reflection, honest self evaluation, can grow and learn from it. Those who slam the door shut, cannot. Consider that when you are thinking not only about the money taken and its source but also the response to having it brought out to the public. Which shows greater leadership? Is it better to have a know-it-all who does not know herself or someone willing to say when he doesn't?
The fab five of the supremes feel the same way about partying with the Kochs and their rulings from the bench. That is the nature of corruption. Few of us want to believe we are corrupt, so we invent rationalizations to justify our actions.
Unfortunately, unlike Bernie's reaction when Bill Clinton called him angry, Hillary does not step back and consider it, reflect on it when called out on her ties to Wall Street. Bernie reflected on the criticism aimed at him and said "yes, it is true. I am angry..." Hillary only doubles down on the defensive because she can not admit to herself the truth behind the criticism.
Those responses are very telling about the caliber, the moral honesty and maturity, of the two candidates. People capable of self reflection, honest self evaluation, can grow and learn from it. Those who slam the door shut, cannot. Consider that when you are thinking not only about the money taken and its source but also the response to having it brought out to the public. Which shows greater leadership? Is it better to have a know-it-all who does not know herself or someone willing to say when he doesn't?
3
Just guesstimating based on her history and behavior, and a very long time teaching and otherwise dealing with people and trying to figure out what makes them tick.
Gail, please take seriously the responsibility that comes with your privilege of space for opinion columns in the NYTimes.
The American people need information on our serious issues and the merits of the best candidates' positions on them. That would be the takeover of our economy and nation by Big Money, and Bernie's crusade to get our country back for us.
At this NYTimes website, the only place where readers can find such substance is the readers' Comments corner.
Instead of using your column space to provide some of the needed substance the NYTimes is avoiding, you keep talking about the worst candidates as foils for demonstrating your cuteness in mockery.
The American people need information on our serious issues and the merits of the best candidates' positions on them. That would be the takeover of our economy and nation by Big Money, and Bernie's crusade to get our country back for us.
At this NYTimes website, the only place where readers can find such substance is the readers' Comments corner.
Instead of using your column space to provide some of the needed substance the NYTimes is avoiding, you keep talking about the worst candidates as foils for demonstrating your cuteness in mockery.
9
Speaking as Floridian quite conversant with state politics, I note that the US DOJ annual report on state political corruption consistently ranks Florida politics among the most corrupt states. While he was in the state legislature, Rubio was a part of that corruption, doing his best work for his Sugar Daddy billionaire car dealer as well as a convicted felon brother-in-law.
Marco Rubio is a pretty face with an amoral brain, a dangerously seductive combination.
Marco Rubio is a pretty face with an amoral brain, a dangerously seductive combination.
23
I'm wondering if JEB!'s mom brought his favorite blankie to New Hampshire.
Who's advising this guy?
Who's advising this guy?
8
Sorry, Gail, but Andy Borowitz in the New Yorker had the best line on Shkreli:
"In a feat that some observers called nothing short of miraculous, the embattled pharmaceuticals C.E.O. Martin Shkreli single-handedly made the American people side with Congress on Thursday morning."
As for Mrs. Clinton, I believe she made about $750,000 in salary for the four years she served as Secretary of State. She made $675,000 for 3 speeches for Goldman Sachs. She not only thought there was nothing wrong with it, but she thinks that anyone who points that out is attacking her. She's clueless.
"In a feat that some observers called nothing short of miraculous, the embattled pharmaceuticals C.E.O. Martin Shkreli single-handedly made the American people side with Congress on Thursday morning."
As for Mrs. Clinton, I believe she made about $750,000 in salary for the four years she served as Secretary of State. She made $675,000 for 3 speeches for Goldman Sachs. She not only thought there was nothing wrong with it, but she thinks that anyone who points that out is attacking her. She's clueless.
224
Sorry for Gail, who bats 1000, just because somebody else hits a home run? Collins for Hall of Fame!
You'll have to admit, if a man, especially a Republican man, made $675,000 for 3 speeches for Goldman Sachs or even for the devil and all his minions, people would be lauding him for such business acumen. I don't care for Hillary but I applaud her being seen as worth what a man would be worth in the same situation.
3
Try a blinding flash of the obvious: Clinton, and a lot like her are truly "little rich," like someone said of Reagan (perhaps Ronnie the dope himself).
Clinton, and any one else who depends on speaking fees is little rich in the worst way. They probably have to actually pay taxes on this money. Any self-respecting filthy rich person (contrast with little rich) does not pay taxes. Remember: Only little people pay taxes (who said that? Actually, we know. Don't we? Clue - LH).
Hillary and the whole bunch of politicians-for-hire are truly little people who are little rich, pikers. To really destroy the US, you must be able to pay little or no taxes. Dang, there is that word again, "little."
Just trying for the larger perspective. It (the salvation of the US) all starts with the next appointment to the Supreme Court.
Clinton, and any one else who depends on speaking fees is little rich in the worst way. They probably have to actually pay taxes on this money. Any self-respecting filthy rich person (contrast with little rich) does not pay taxes. Remember: Only little people pay taxes (who said that? Actually, we know. Don't we? Clue - LH).
Hillary and the whole bunch of politicians-for-hire are truly little people who are little rich, pikers. To really destroy the US, you must be able to pay little or no taxes. Dang, there is that word again, "little."
Just trying for the larger perspective. It (the salvation of the US) all starts with the next appointment to the Supreme Court.
1
After seeing Mr. Shkreli's performance at that House hearing, I realized that there was actually someone on the planet who was far more frightening and loathsome than Mr. Trump and Mr. Cruz put together. In fact, the mere sight of him sitting there smirking unrepentantly made me want to slam the book on Mankind altogether. If anything, Mr. Shkreli is of that ilk who would stop at nothing to make a profit, regardless of the suffering it causes. If he ever opted to run for the Republican Presidential nomination. He would make a perfect candidate.
315
As loathsome as he appears, Shkreli is not a candidate for POTUS who has scooped up millions from supporters. As vile as his actions he hasn't presented us with a ridiculous plan for the future as Cruz and company has.
@David
I was under the impression that one was free to express ones' own opinion. Even if it didn't involve a Presidential candidate. I did.
I was under the impression that one was free to express ones' own opinion. Even if it didn't involve a Presidential candidate. I did.
Stop. Why do you think that these CEOs get the pay level they get? It's because they are expected to break the law in order to maximize profits, with the help of our elected (Hee Hee Hee Hee) officials. There is no other justification, as there is no evidence that it is pay-for-performance. Shkreli is just a Corrupt-CEO-in-the-making. Poor boy, got to the top, before he learned all the terrific lying skills required. You need to be a composed, socially-winning liar, like Bernie Madoff - not a doubt in his mind that he was a good and valuable person. Shkreli will get there, and the politicians will work for him when he does.
The fact is that "Wall Street" has nothing to do with the problems of the middle class!
Nothing!
Focusing on this trope, which works to make the white middle class think there is some magically simple political panacea to their disenfranchisement, allows sub standard candidates to rant and spew inane populist generalities which are nothing short of ridiculous.
Pathetic!
Nothing!
Focusing on this trope, which works to make the white middle class think there is some magically simple political panacea to their disenfranchisement, allows sub standard candidates to rant and spew inane populist generalities which are nothing short of ridiculous.
Pathetic!
1
I agree that leaving Carly out is a major error. I was looking forward to her killer line: 'What I did to HP, I can do to the US'!!!
7
If they can somehow force Donald Trump to testify, for any reason, Republicans and Democrats would likewise be united in wanting to strangle that man.
See, Republicans and Democrats can really work together.
See, Republicans and Democrats can really work together.
4
Santorum oozes out of the presidential campaign. Seems appropriate.
9
Is it really true that Shkreli will be on the stage tonight debating those other paragons of success? And if nominated he will announce that Nora the Piano Cat (aka S. Palin) will be his running mate?
Go Bernie
Go Bernie
3
I don't think Hillary Clinton has any idea why people see her speaking engagements as a red flag vis-à-vis how she might govern. She is simply doing the business of politics as conducted today. I was once a member of the City Council in a ski resort in Colorado. The issue of conflict of interest came up often: it was a small town, we all knew and conducted business with each other. I remember a local lawyer telling the City Council that "It is not only an issue of actual conflict of interest," he said. "It is the appearance of a conflict of interest that is central." I can remember some council members saying, as I think Hillary Clinton implies, "But I can make governing decisions and put my personal and professional connections aside when I do." Hillary is simply too ingrained in the plutocratic system that passes for democracy in the US these days. Now we have her pronouncing that she is a progressive. A progressive believes that our institutions suffer from systemic problems, and that legislation must address them. A moderate believes that on balance our institutions are working and need moderate reforms here and there. But tinkering around the edges of institutional behavior does not address the heart of the issue, and, in fact merely preserves the institutional status quo. When she calls herself a progressive, I have the feeling that we are being pandered to: say whatever it takes to put those pesky voters back in their cages, and go about business as usual.
36
Well, at least Rick Santorum didn't go for the obvious explanation about Rubio's lack of accomplishments - it's hard to get things done at a job for which one does not show up. Or, heaven forbid, mention that for one nanosecond, Rubio was willing to consider a non-ideological move and try working with mixed colleagues on immigration re- oh, that which we'll never speak of again.
And they make quite a pair! Both got in way over their heads with Presidential campaigns, neither has any background or interest in science, both act more Catholic than the Pope - whose moral requirements neither comes close to meeting. Rubio and Santorum treat abortion as what Pope Francis called "an obsession," while showing no regard for life with their warmongering, gunlust, and support for the death penalty. Neither accepts the call from Pope Francis, himself a scientist, to be responsible for our earth. Neither cares for the poor or the sick, and find greed virtuous. But Santorum and Rubio can't work Jesus into enough talking points about their own agendas.
And they make quite a pair! Both got in way over their heads with Presidential campaigns, neither has any background or interest in science, both act more Catholic than the Pope - whose moral requirements neither comes close to meeting. Rubio and Santorum treat abortion as what Pope Francis called "an obsession," while showing no regard for life with their warmongering, gunlust, and support for the death penalty. Neither accepts the call from Pope Francis, himself a scientist, to be responsible for our earth. Neither cares for the poor or the sick, and find greed virtuous. But Santorum and Rubio can't work Jesus into enough talking points about their own agendas.
11
After a natural born Canadian won the Iowa caucuses I think our former Conservative Canadian Prime Minister might be the perfect alternative to a field of candidates that should be kept on the outside of the fence surrounding the White House.
Stephen Harper is a social and political conservative and has the executive experience and knowledge of affairs both foreign and domestic. He understands the politics of division and governed as a Republican not as a Canadian Conservative and I understand he was naturally born.
Stephen Harper is a social and political conservative and has the executive experience and knowledge of affairs both foreign and domestic. He understands the politics of division and governed as a Republican not as a Canadian Conservative and I understand he was naturally born.
2
Perhaps his little PV will shrink to a dismal size and he will need to get the right "medicine" to fix this at his so early age! There will not be any available for less then $5oo 000. And he will need it every quarter of the year before the sorry thing falls off. That would be a dose of his own stupidity to be kind!
2
The government response to the Flint water crisis has been terrible. Florida declared a health emergency in 4 counties after a few cases of the Zika virus were reported. The people of Flint deserve immediate funding and action to fix the water problem. Republicans dickering over the cost and demanding spending cuts wastes time while the people of Flint continue to suffer. This doesn't sound very "pro-life" to me.
5
Can anyone determine when the Bernie Sanders revolution begins? It goes way beyond the nomination and general election if he makes it that far.
The premise is that campaign finance reform must occur before all of these good things like Medicare for all can happen. Of course that depends on one or two members of the U.S. Supreme Court dying or retiring to overturn Citizens United.
Then it involves waiting for years to somehow allow gerrymandered safe republican districts all over the country to magically transform places like Idaho and Kansas into blue states.
It's one thing to be singing " Solidarity Forever" to hope that "people rise up" for Bernie's political revolution but another to prove that it will occur before he turns 100.
The premise is that campaign finance reform must occur before all of these good things like Medicare for all can happen. Of course that depends on one or two members of the U.S. Supreme Court dying or retiring to overturn Citizens United.
Then it involves waiting for years to somehow allow gerrymandered safe republican districts all over the country to magically transform places like Idaho and Kansas into blue states.
It's one thing to be singing " Solidarity Forever" to hope that "people rise up" for Bernie's political revolution but another to prove that it will occur before he turns 100.
9
So we may need to wait until Bernie turns 100. That is still better than never. Let us at least begin the effort. Or perhaps we should concede that significant change is impossible, just give up, and vote for Hillary.
7
Correction: two GOP-appointed members of the supreme court must die or resign (or be impeached). The resignation of Justices Ginsberg or Breyer will not result in any progress.
3
Five Thirty Eight (which accurately called the '08 and '12 elections) has developed a handy Swing-O-Matic to show what must be done to change states from red to blue (or vice versa.) http://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2016-swing-the-election/
White voters still make up 70% of the voting electorate. Republicans have done very well with non-college educated whites and also done well with college educated whites.
If Democrats reached 50-50 parity with non-college educated whites, half a dozen states would shift from red to blue and take more than 400 votes in the Electoral College. Achieving 50-50 parity with college educated whites turns only two states. Little progress seems possible for other Democrats with other key voting blocks.
Should Sanders be the Democratic nominee, the swift boat style campaign against his avowed democratic socialism and the cost of his proposals will be brutal and sustained. It is hard to see how a Sanders campaign will shift the voting blocs the Democrats need to not only win the presidency, but make needed gains in the Congress and states as well.
White voters still make up 70% of the voting electorate. Republicans have done very well with non-college educated whites and also done well with college educated whites.
If Democrats reached 50-50 parity with non-college educated whites, half a dozen states would shift from red to blue and take more than 400 votes in the Electoral College. Achieving 50-50 parity with college educated whites turns only two states. Little progress seems possible for other Democrats with other key voting blocks.
Should Sanders be the Democratic nominee, the swift boat style campaign against his avowed democratic socialism and the cost of his proposals will be brutal and sustained. It is hard to see how a Sanders campaign will shift the voting blocs the Democrats need to not only win the presidency, but make needed gains in the Congress and states as well.
3
Nice try, Gail. But "take it or leave it," though authentically Clintonian, doesn't cut it anymore coming from you than it does coming from the shamelessly greedy Clintons. Could anything be more ludicrously opposite the exemplary, humanitarian post-Presidency of Jimmy Carter than the endlessly grifting pursuit of money by the Clintons? Americans should be more than repulsed enough by their raw greed to vote for Sanders, not Hillary.
14
What is fascinating about Shkreli is that he shoves into our face the nature of one of the fundamentals of our civilization. The wonders of human creativity that have descended through the ages exemplified out of Plato and Newton and Einstein and the innumerable philosophers and scientists and writers and artists of all kinds are a heritage of our species that belongs to no one and every one and are all vital not only for our pleasure and understanding but for our basic survival and existence. Yet the way we have arranged our culture is to permit and encourage creative individuals and all sorts of social groups to hold these exceedingly important creations in hostage to deprive the world of their benefits. No doubt creative people should be rewarded reasonably for their contributions and surely there are better ways to do it than to turn clever humans into gangsters that result in human misery and death for those lacking the wealth necessary to exist. Decent people are furious with Shkreli because he shows us what we are made of and that is extremely unpleasant.
11
Jan: Shkreli created nothing. His company bought the rights to the drug. He is the very opposite of a "creative" person. In general, creative people are never even given the option to "deprive the world of their benefits". You think "Plato and Newton and Einstein" made bundles of money from their ideas? Think again. How did Edison invent the light bulb? He bought the patent, that's how. Did Steve Jobs invent the Apple II? No, Steve Wozniak did. Jobs couldn't have built a computer if his life depended on it. Bill Gates copied DOS directly from C/PM source code and lifted Windows from Macintosh (who lifted it in turn from another company). Until very recently the metronome was known as Maelzel's metronome. Did Maelzel invent it? Hardly. He marketed it and made a fortune....and so on.
2
It's pretty clear to me that Shkreli was testing the waters for a future presidential run once he meets the age requirement. Refusing to answer any questions and calling the committee members imbeciles, not to mention pulling the rug out from under those most in need of help, is exactly what the GOP is looking for.
49
I had forgotten Rick Santorum was still in the race until he resigned. I would like to forget that Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Donald Trump and all the other Republicans still in the race are actually running for the office of the Presidency. I would like to magically wake up on the day after the election and find it had all been a bad dream due to eating pizza with mayonnaise and hot dogs with chocolate sauce, and when I went online to the New York Times the headline would blaze: Democrats Win the Presidency and Now Control Congress
26
In this country we have elections, not coronations (as much as the Democratic National Committee would like to think it is the latter)
1
How can a great country have such candidates running for President? The answer: we are no longer a great country.
I'm voting for Hillary without enthusiasm. But she is a giant compared with the Republican midgets. They are so awful that it's hard to truly comprehend.
I'm voting for Hillary without enthusiasm. But she is a giant compared with the Republican midgets. They are so awful that it's hard to truly comprehend.
37
What happened to the USA that we Canadians admired for the Marshall plan, for your great standard of living and the belief that the lowliest can rise to great heights?
From north of your border we now see your glorification of money, huge egos and the destruction of the American dream.
America, America wake up from this nightmare!
From north of your border we now see your glorification of money, huge egos and the destruction of the American dream.
America, America wake up from this nightmare!
3
Prior achievement is no longer a prerequisite for becoming POTUS. Hasn't been for years. After all, the greatest achievements of the last two presidents were running a baseball team (poorly I might add) and being a community organizer (unless you count half a term of US Senator)
I am sure it's not PC, but I have to say that when I read about this I am reminded of the time - decades ago - when Aneurin Bevan (the creator of the National Health Service in the UK) said that certain Tories were "lower than vermin." Some people are beneath contempt.
5
When Goldman Sachs paid Hillary $675, 000 for her speeches, they did NOT buy her. They did not need to buy her. Hillary was already on Goldman's side. For her to claim she is not part of the Establishment is laughable. She sees nothing wrong with the way the banksters do business or with the casino on Wall Street. She will not close the carried interest loophole (Schumer's baby) or institute a fee on stock trades or raise taxes commensurate with 35 years of tax breaks for the 1%. She is already member of their Club. Goldman was simply throwing money at one of its poorer albeit loyal friends.
She may win the black vote in the heavily Republican South, but she will do nothing to build up the party in those states to fight entrenched conservatism and corporatism. The enduring racism and poverty result still from the lack of political power. She will do nothing to help working families by preventing corporations from moving jobs overseas or restricting Chinese imports. She will not aid unionism or protect it from assaults like Scot Walker's in Wisconsin. She will not protect public education from privatization. She will not expand Pell Grants or make college affordable.
Hillary insults us when she claims to be a progressive. A long time Hillary and Bernie were anti-war, anti-Nixon, pro-feminism and pro- civil rights activists. Bernie has remained a true believer; Hillary now believes what the polls tell her. At best she is now a stand-pat, status quo Eisenhower Republican.
She may win the black vote in the heavily Republican South, but she will do nothing to build up the party in those states to fight entrenched conservatism and corporatism. The enduring racism and poverty result still from the lack of political power. She will do nothing to help working families by preventing corporations from moving jobs overseas or restricting Chinese imports. She will not aid unionism or protect it from assaults like Scot Walker's in Wisconsin. She will not protect public education from privatization. She will not expand Pell Grants or make college affordable.
Hillary insults us when she claims to be a progressive. A long time Hillary and Bernie were anti-war, anti-Nixon, pro-feminism and pro- civil rights activists. Bernie has remained a true believer; Hillary now believes what the polls tell her. At best she is now a stand-pat, status quo Eisenhower Republican.
20
"Clinton is never going to say she’s sorry, release transcripts or announce that she’s decided to clear everything up by donating $675,000 to charity. It is what it is, and you’re going to have to take it or leave it."
This is one of the reasons Mr. Sanders is so much more electable. Outside of Clinton's shrinking group of core supporters, primarily composed of liberal women of a certain age, most Americans from throughout the political spectrum are saying they are not willing "to take it" any more from the Clintons.
I am a conservative Republican who disagrees with Bernie Sanders on everything. Nevertheless, I can see clearly why he is so much more liked than Clinton. Even if you disagree with him, you must admire that Sanders believes in something greater than himself. Bernie Sanders never has to parse what he is saying, because he is fundamentally honest. Of course, he is a politician and is sometimes artful in his language, but he has core beliefs that are the main driving force of his message and his proposals, and he has been consistent for decades.
Clinton, on the other hand, parses everything and believes in nothing more than she believes in Hillary Clinton, and, well, that is just not an attractive quality in a person. Narcissists, like Clinton, find it hard to inspire people to a greater cause. I have no doubt that on some level Clinton is sincere about some of her causes involving children and women, but none of that is as important as promoting herself.
This is one of the reasons Mr. Sanders is so much more electable. Outside of Clinton's shrinking group of core supporters, primarily composed of liberal women of a certain age, most Americans from throughout the political spectrum are saying they are not willing "to take it" any more from the Clintons.
I am a conservative Republican who disagrees with Bernie Sanders on everything. Nevertheless, I can see clearly why he is so much more liked than Clinton. Even if you disagree with him, you must admire that Sanders believes in something greater than himself. Bernie Sanders never has to parse what he is saying, because he is fundamentally honest. Of course, he is a politician and is sometimes artful in his language, but he has core beliefs that are the main driving force of his message and his proposals, and he has been consistent for decades.
Clinton, on the other hand, parses everything and believes in nothing more than she believes in Hillary Clinton, and, well, that is just not an attractive quality in a person. Narcissists, like Clinton, find it hard to inspire people to a greater cause. I have no doubt that on some level Clinton is sincere about some of her causes involving children and women, but none of that is as important as promoting herself.
14
the conservative republicanism you believe in isn't available. cruz and trump are wanna be dictators, and Rubio is so bought and paid for he makes one start squeamishing. feel the bern.
1
I agree about Carly Fiorina. She was the first to go after Trump with little response. She would bring balance. And a little attitude
Jeb. If I see that Marco weather vane commercial one more time I think I will throw up. What a lame commercial. He may have a good record but he stinks as a candidate. it's too forced and fake to me.
I think Jeb and Christie, and sadly Carly will be done after New Hampshire.
I also have to be honest I have never gotten so many emails begging me for money from Cruz. Leave me alone!! Rubio too.
Santorum. did anyone show up when he dropped out? And not being able to list one thing Rubio did in the Senate was awful.
I actually watched part of the Dem debate. But I can only tolerate Rachel Maddow for a minute. Hillary to me was combative and defensive most of the night. She cannot claim to be a progressive making $24 million making speeches (income inequality) and sitting on the board of Wal Mart as she did.
I believe her response to Anderson Cooper was horrible. It will hurt her now and in the general election.
Hillary? Indict her. She's a guilty as sin.
Jeb. If I see that Marco weather vane commercial one more time I think I will throw up. What a lame commercial. He may have a good record but he stinks as a candidate. it's too forced and fake to me.
I think Jeb and Christie, and sadly Carly will be done after New Hampshire.
I also have to be honest I have never gotten so many emails begging me for money from Cruz. Leave me alone!! Rubio too.
Santorum. did anyone show up when he dropped out? And not being able to list one thing Rubio did in the Senate was awful.
I actually watched part of the Dem debate. But I can only tolerate Rachel Maddow for a minute. Hillary to me was combative and defensive most of the night. She cannot claim to be a progressive making $24 million making speeches (income inequality) and sitting on the board of Wal Mart as she did.
I believe her response to Anderson Cooper was horrible. It will hurt her now and in the general election.
Hillary? Indict her. She's a guilty as sin.
3
Gail
Have a great week. I found out I need rotator cuff surgery on my right shoulder but I am putting it off till May. I also will probably need right wrist surgery in the spring. I am waiting on that too. I will have to have a bone removed on that one. Not sure why.
Really good column today. I really enjoyed it a great deal. Take care
Have a great week. I found out I need rotator cuff surgery on my right shoulder but I am putting it off till May. I also will probably need right wrist surgery in the spring. I am waiting on that too. I will have to have a bone removed on that one. Not sure why.
Really good column today. I really enjoyed it a great deal. Take care
2
Good planning to get out of the spring / summer yard work!
The US lets our drug monopolies charge sick people whatever they want. This is a norm, so is it any wonder we produce a sociopath who shows his contempt for the public and for congress?
Other countries' govts negotiate drug prices. This is actually accepted by all parties. It means they respect their citizens, instead of valuing corporate profits as the 1st priority.
But they also use public funding for elections instead of donations from corporate monopolies. Would any Times columnist consider some time discussing this huge difference in outlook that leads to such great policy differences in life or death matters? No? Not interesting enough?
Why don't big drug/insurance companies in other countries lobby and pay off their lawmakers to let them charge whatever they want for premiums and drugs? I can't understand it, don't they value profits properly?
Other countries' govts negotiate drug prices. This is actually accepted by all parties. It means they respect their citizens, instead of valuing corporate profits as the 1st priority.
But they also use public funding for elections instead of donations from corporate monopolies. Would any Times columnist consider some time discussing this huge difference in outlook that leads to such great policy differences in life or death matters? No? Not interesting enough?
Why don't big drug/insurance companies in other countries lobby and pay off their lawmakers to let them charge whatever they want for premiums and drugs? I can't understand it, don't they value profits properly?
29
The disdain Shkreli showed for Congress (his tweet afterwards, "what a bunch of imbeciles") is a microcosm of the societal breakdown that most of us have experienced in our lifetime - an increasing lack of civility, and the panache of the greedy in the face of those who advocate such boring values as honesty and fairness. Who cares - just retreat to your Manhattan penthouse. There will be plenty of people who will champion you as the "new" Gordon Gecko, ready to turn the world on its ear. Let's have a party! For some members of Congress, they can pretend to have championed the citizens. and go back to favoring the 0.01%. What irony.
Whether hedge funds, campaign contributions, faux support trumpeted in response to a personal slight (wouldn't Fiorina have a better case just by saying it was because she was a woman?), or in the case of Santorum, friendship, the underlying theme of it all is that it doesn't matter any more what is either said or expressed with non-verbal cues. In the 24 hour news cycle, something will come along in a few minutes to upstage even the most brazen behavior. Thank goodness for people like Ellen DeGeneres, who advocate kindness.
If you're wondering like I am if Shkreli could be brought up on contempt of Congress charges for all the smirking, eye rolling, and the tweets, transpose his countenance on Paul Ryan during Obama's recent SOTU speech. Maybe a more aggrieved version with Shkreli, but still the same overall communication. It's everywhere.
Whether hedge funds, campaign contributions, faux support trumpeted in response to a personal slight (wouldn't Fiorina have a better case just by saying it was because she was a woman?), or in the case of Santorum, friendship, the underlying theme of it all is that it doesn't matter any more what is either said or expressed with non-verbal cues. In the 24 hour news cycle, something will come along in a few minutes to upstage even the most brazen behavior. Thank goodness for people like Ellen DeGeneres, who advocate kindness.
If you're wondering like I am if Shkreli could be brought up on contempt of Congress charges for all the smirking, eye rolling, and the tweets, transpose his countenance on Paul Ryan during Obama's recent SOTU speech. Maybe a more aggrieved version with Shkreli, but still the same overall communication. It's everywhere.
41
Surely if we could recall the first Homo sapiens, we'd find individuals who express the worst in us. Perhaps the difference is that distant generations of necessity depended on one another for survival, hence... civility. Today it is possible to survive and thrive without ever seeing beyond one's mirror.
1
Bernie this, Bernie that. Here be the problem. Once everyone has huffed and puffed and left the room.
The consultants will be entering by another door and they will nullify anything agreed upon.
The consultants will be entering by another door and they will nullify anything agreed upon.
5
corrected:
Marco Rubio has done nothing except look cuddly. He will get the elder Republican women's vote for sure. He would not be considered for CEO of a modest size corporation, so naturally he has to run for president. If the road of success is blocked, bypass, head for the top. This is America.
Sorry, I have to interject a personal boast. (Trump can handle his own boasting.) At the start of this long and utterly thrillingless campaign, I noted, right here online, that Trump was not likely to actually spend the vast sums he said he was willing to spend to get elected. Why? Cause rich guys don't like to spend money unless it is to make themselves more comfortable, buy a new house, a new wife, a new airplane. Trump has the latter, but he's an extraordinary example of the rich guy's irresistible desire to pile up more money, not spend it. Trump probably thinks that he's going to live for 200 or 300 yrs., so he's going to need a few extra billion. If Trump's actions followed his mouth...well, never mind.
Hillary Clinton has been bribed to the gills by bankers and corporate America. Here's what happened: they were this, ah, nice, or not so nice, couple from the backwoods of Little Rock with Yale law degrees. As gov., Bill made next to nothing. When they got to DC (the first time they had a walk-in closet), their heads were spinning seeing how the rich in America actually live. They wanted in. They got in. Millions are required and there's the conflict with her dreams.
Marco Rubio has done nothing except look cuddly. He will get the elder Republican women's vote for sure. He would not be considered for CEO of a modest size corporation, so naturally he has to run for president. If the road of success is blocked, bypass, head for the top. This is America.
Sorry, I have to interject a personal boast. (Trump can handle his own boasting.) At the start of this long and utterly thrillingless campaign, I noted, right here online, that Trump was not likely to actually spend the vast sums he said he was willing to spend to get elected. Why? Cause rich guys don't like to spend money unless it is to make themselves more comfortable, buy a new house, a new wife, a new airplane. Trump has the latter, but he's an extraordinary example of the rich guy's irresistible desire to pile up more money, not spend it. Trump probably thinks that he's going to live for 200 or 300 yrs., so he's going to need a few extra billion. If Trump's actions followed his mouth...well, never mind.
Hillary Clinton has been bribed to the gills by bankers and corporate America. Here's what happened: they were this, ah, nice, or not so nice, couple from the backwoods of Little Rock with Yale law degrees. As gov., Bill made next to nothing. When they got to DC (the first time they had a walk-in closet), their heads were spinning seeing how the rich in America actually live. They wanted in. They got in. Millions are required and there's the conflict with her dreams.
16
That's a pretty nasty thing to say about older women. As I have gotten older myself, I have noticed how ageism seems to be acceptable in this society. Apparently "older people" are seen as semi-idiots. I started programming sixty years ago, but I get treated as though I barely know how to use a landline.
1
Running for president of the United States in relationship to Martin Shkreli.
They both bring out the worst in people and themselves.
Having commented in the New York Times for years, I have already stated I would no longer comment on Donald Trump. I read what people say one way or another about one guy or woman or another and it makes me see the underlying crass unrest in the people of the United States. Actually people from all over the world have joined in on this little escapade.
I suppose it is like this most campaign years, or is it? Mean words, mean actions, finger pointing meanness. This is what it's going to be for another at least 10 months, reading it day after day, article after article?
This is what it takes to be president or any politician? Who can not only be mean enough, but who can drum up enough meanness along the way.
Be mean, become president. What are we doing?
This has even gone so far that when candidates actually smile at each other and maybe even shake hands, that in itself is news. Thank you Hillary and Bernie.
Computer, take me to the Arts section, please.
They both bring out the worst in people and themselves.
Having commented in the New York Times for years, I have already stated I would no longer comment on Donald Trump. I read what people say one way or another about one guy or woman or another and it makes me see the underlying crass unrest in the people of the United States. Actually people from all over the world have joined in on this little escapade.
I suppose it is like this most campaign years, or is it? Mean words, mean actions, finger pointing meanness. This is what it's going to be for another at least 10 months, reading it day after day, article after article?
This is what it takes to be president or any politician? Who can not only be mean enough, but who can drum up enough meanness along the way.
Be mean, become president. What are we doing?
This has even gone so far that when candidates actually smile at each other and maybe even shake hands, that in itself is news. Thank you Hillary and Bernie.
Computer, take me to the Arts section, please.
21
Rubio must feel like the 30% mark is close enough to keep one's job, since he missed 30% of his "class" lectures and 34% of his voting in the Senate.
I have not read his book but maybe Gail has. Was it at least 30% accurate?
I wonder if my employer would go for that number of absences and still pay me?
I have not read his book but maybe Gail has. Was it at least 30% accurate?
I wonder if my employer would go for that number of absences and still pay me?
369
You could run for, and be elected, to Congress where members have their own definition of full-time employment, one that includes a compensation and benefit package that U. S. factory workers would die for.
3
The campaign has now achieved a form of stasis, in which it is equally entertaining and annoying. It's also embarrassing, but we don't have enough time to discuss its many offenses.
If it will help get us off dead center, I would be happy to (1) speak to Goldman-Sachs for a discount rate of $200,000 including a transcript, (2) provide Jeb! with a portable cassette player so he can get a round of applause anytime he needs one, (3) substitute for Marco Rubio and lecture his class on how to write a memoir, (4) buy a copy of Marco Rubio's memoir, (5) tell Carly Fiorina that it was really Martin Shkreli who banished her from the debate, and (6) shoot some shaky cellphone video of Carly bashing Martin with a HP printer (toner cartridge not included).
I think this would eliminate some distractions and allow us to discuss actual issues, but I make no guarantees. We still have Dr. Carson being stirred from his nap to answer an occasional question, Senator Sanders in a state of constant irritation, and Donald Trump still engaged in his "performance art" campaign even as we art lovers grow tired of it. And finally, if Senator Cruz would just "speak" to Goldman-Sachs, they could convert his loan to a speaking fee and we'd be ready to proceed to New Hampshire, which is currently getting lots of snow, which obviously eliminates any lingering problems with climate change. There, I fixed as much as I could.
If it will help get us off dead center, I would be happy to (1) speak to Goldman-Sachs for a discount rate of $200,000 including a transcript, (2) provide Jeb! with a portable cassette player so he can get a round of applause anytime he needs one, (3) substitute for Marco Rubio and lecture his class on how to write a memoir, (4) buy a copy of Marco Rubio's memoir, (5) tell Carly Fiorina that it was really Martin Shkreli who banished her from the debate, and (6) shoot some shaky cellphone video of Carly bashing Martin with a HP printer (toner cartridge not included).
I think this would eliminate some distractions and allow us to discuss actual issues, but I make no guarantees. We still have Dr. Carson being stirred from his nap to answer an occasional question, Senator Sanders in a state of constant irritation, and Donald Trump still engaged in his "performance art" campaign even as we art lovers grow tired of it. And finally, if Senator Cruz would just "speak" to Goldman-Sachs, they could convert his loan to a speaking fee and we'd be ready to proceed to New Hampshire, which is currently getting lots of snow, which obviously eliminates any lingering problems with climate change. There, I fixed as much as I could.
390
Much like Sanders, I too am in a constant state of irritation: at republican voters who keep voting to insure that they will stay poor and stupid, and at democrat voters who keep staying home and giving those republican voters a say in our future.
8
Hope and change didn't work. Maybe we need grouchy and irritated. Maybe McGovern would have won and Obama would have gotten even more done if they'd just been grouchier? For the past few weeks, every time I hear Rubio, I think, Who does he remind me of? And then it hit me: John Edwards, that other pretty candidate with the unshakable talking points. I do not assume that Rubio has the same faults as Edwards, but it's pretty clear that the best interpretation of his financial problems is that he's only a dance step or two from corruption, and I think he's crossed it. Most students with loans will not have jobs making $300,000 (maybe not even $69,000), but I'll bet you the ones that want to stay out of jail and keep their jobs don't get their work and personal credit cards mixed up. Those that do I would think fail the basic competency test for President of the United States.
6
Bus Bozo! Where have you been all my life? Welcome to the comment section; you are too funny!
2
Reading Gail is always amusing, funny even. She is on the mark while pointing out the absurdities of our political scene. Yet, it is depressing as well given that her column smacks of the awful truth. We are hard on Hillary, and if Bernie seems to have the nomination in hand he will become the villain du jour. He is easy to caricature and ridicule due to his appearance and tendency to shout or bellow. Tracking all complaints and accusations against Hillary I see mistakes in judgement when considering her ultimate goals. But, I also see experience, intelligence, and then think that she is basically a fine person. If she were a man, shouting would be allowed. No one would make fun of her pant suits. Question: who can pull the better government together? Bernie? Unlikely that he will have a stable of experienced aids or the ability to pull a decent cabinet together. There is no revolution on the table for the US. Realistic progressive progress demands that we address the hold that the GOP has on the country by mounting broad based fights against 1) gerrymandering by a political party, 2) reverse the effects of the massive transfer of wealth to the 1%, 3) work to discredit the GOP's extreme right wing so we can have a more balanced political life. Neither party should ever have complete control over all government entities.
23
Ah, Gail: thanks for uniting us on the lighter side of the election. As for Jeb, what better way to forget the mama's boy image of Bush than to drag in.....his Mother! I've never seen a candidate so impervious to how his actions appear to anyone outside his family. I might use the word pathetic but that would be cruel. The kindest thing Jeb could do at this point for all of us, including Bar, would be to exit stage right. Or is he going too hang on forever, like the ghost of Banquo, hovering over the campaign like an eternal symbol of lost hopes?
Speaking of lost hopes, I hope somebody in the DC has made tapes of the ringing Santorum endorsement of Rubio. The ad would write itself: Marco must be elected so he can do for you what he did in the senate--preserve the status quo. The donors would love it!
Isn't there some way Martin Shkreli can be brought into the campaign? If anyone can, and should, it's Sanders. The perfect symbol of greed that's infesting our country.
Speaking of lost hopes, I hope somebody in the DC has made tapes of the ringing Santorum endorsement of Rubio. The ad would write itself: Marco must be elected so he can do for you what he did in the senate--preserve the status quo. The donors would love it!
Isn't there some way Martin Shkreli can be brought into the campaign? If anyone can, and should, it's Sanders. The perfect symbol of greed that's infesting our country.
20
There have been a bunch of folks in the GOP race in the category of "oh, is he/she running?" Now they are falling away. It is a bit surprising that Santorum did not throw his weight behind Cruz. Maybe he doesn't see him as the ultimate winner and is jockeying for a cabinet position? OR Cruz really is hated by all who know him.
I think that the constant ragging on Hillary about those speeches is hypocritical of many of us. Politics is a very expensive business. Which one of us wouldn't take whatever great amount was offered to give a speech?
That clip of Jeb Bush asking his audience to clap is so sad. I feel sorry for him. He seems like a reasonable (and reasonably moderate) nice guy who has been run over by the clown car of this year's slate of candidates. He gets virtually no news coverage, which helps to sink his campaign further. Look for him to end the torture and drop out soon. He should have listened to his Mother, who a year or 18 months ago indicated that she thought he shouldn't run...
I think that the constant ragging on Hillary about those speeches is hypocritical of many of us. Politics is a very expensive business. Which one of us wouldn't take whatever great amount was offered to give a speech?
That clip of Jeb Bush asking his audience to clap is so sad. I feel sorry for him. He seems like a reasonable (and reasonably moderate) nice guy who has been run over by the clown car of this year's slate of candidates. He gets virtually no news coverage, which helps to sink his campaign further. Look for him to end the torture and drop out soon. He should have listened to his Mother, who a year or 18 months ago indicated that she thought he shouldn't run...
12
Jeb is no moderate. Look at the policy positions.
6
Given Mr. Rubio's already reported regular absence from Congress, and now this item about his absence from the teaching job, what is he going to do as President, when he actually has to show up most of the time? "Sorry Mr. Putin, the President is taking a personal day."?
I've been thinking recently about how I would spend $675,000. First I would pay off that nagging credit card. Then I would clear out my student loan debt. I'd treat myself to a new car - nothing too fancy. Probably sock the rest away so I could (gasp) actually retire at age 65. Hillary and I live in entirely different worlds and those speaking fees just drive home the point.
The local radio station I like normally avoids politics at all costs. Even they couldn't resist playing the audio of Jeb's "Please clap."
I've been thinking recently about how I would spend $675,000. First I would pay off that nagging credit card. Then I would clear out my student loan debt. I'd treat myself to a new car - nothing too fancy. Probably sock the rest away so I could (gasp) actually retire at age 65. Hillary and I live in entirely different worlds and those speaking fees just drive home the point.
The local radio station I like normally avoids politics at all costs. Even they couldn't resist playing the audio of Jeb's "Please clap."
21
What would George W. Bush do? When the going gets tough, the tough go on vacation!
2
I don't get it. Republicans should love Shkreli. He is the epitome of their free market, lack of government regulation philosophy that they hold so dear. Maybe his big mistake was not contributing to their coffers. If only congress had such ire for internet/cable companies. Compare what we pay and what we get for it to Europe that hotbed of socialism. That's gouging.
184
Ms. Collins,
I think it is safe to say that I am beginning to loathe politics. There are tons of little Shkrelis running the business world, and I am not planning to share with you how some of these spend their lunch hour, except to say they are fast and nimble-fingered at closing down their computer. They are watching figures in a manner of speaking.
For some reason I thought Rick Santorum was long gone but then I am late in finding that Mr. Carson is still in the race. I thought the former was running a marathon in Texas and what I remember best is that he is a great shot at coyotes?
Is it alright to say that Mr. Trump bores me witless although I will always remember that he has made America proud with his flush in the plumbing industry?
Marco Rubio looks uncannily like the banker who sold me an annuity in 2008. He is looking slightly oilier these days, and I do not know whether he is planning to buy a gun on Christmas Eve for his boys.
Goldman Sachs sounds rich, if on the brink of insolvency, if they are giving away $675,000 for three speeches. I plan to call them on Monday and to see if they are interested in hearing of world globalization economics.
Your mention of Carly Fiorina reminded me to feed the cat. In the meantime keep on writing. Off to watch the video of Nora playing the piano and not quite ready to pull out the violin yet.
I think it is safe to say that I am beginning to loathe politics. There are tons of little Shkrelis running the business world, and I am not planning to share with you how some of these spend their lunch hour, except to say they are fast and nimble-fingered at closing down their computer. They are watching figures in a manner of speaking.
For some reason I thought Rick Santorum was long gone but then I am late in finding that Mr. Carson is still in the race. I thought the former was running a marathon in Texas and what I remember best is that he is a great shot at coyotes?
Is it alright to say that Mr. Trump bores me witless although I will always remember that he has made America proud with his flush in the plumbing industry?
Marco Rubio looks uncannily like the banker who sold me an annuity in 2008. He is looking slightly oilier these days, and I do not know whether he is planning to buy a gun on Christmas Eve for his boys.
Goldman Sachs sounds rich, if on the brink of insolvency, if they are giving away $675,000 for three speeches. I plan to call them on Monday and to see if they are interested in hearing of world globalization economics.
Your mention of Carly Fiorina reminded me to feed the cat. In the meantime keep on writing. Off to watch the video of Nora playing the piano and not quite ready to pull out the violin yet.
37
Thanks, Ms. Collins, for making the campaign bearable. If only one of the candidates would drive to Canada with the family dog tied on the roof of the car....
22
Oh Gail! I was really enjoying your article until I got to the last line. Not only is agism not nice, it will probably come back to haunt you some day.. We all get there sooner or later unless we die first.
3
I don't see the comment as agist. It seems to me she was indicating a natural reality: a 90 yr. old is not, in the normal course of things, campaigning, running around the country. This is just an ordinary fact. When my father was starting his 80s I could hardly imagine asking him to do anything for me. My full concern at that point in his life was: what can I do for you, Dad? I was not thereby incapacitating him by my attitudes. I was adjusting to what I saw and he needed. Anything he wanted to do, I was there to help.
2
It wasn't ageist. It was a comment on the immaturity of the SON. I.e., by the time your mom is 90, you should not need to lean on her.
7
Trump is cheap. I get the feeling all that gold plated stuff in his golf clubs and "towers" is fake. His ties are made in China, last I heard.
I watched Jeb shamelessly roll out his very old mom at some rally. She seemed exasperated. Jeb looked all sheepish and cowardly. Emasculated. weak. It almost looked like she just handed a cheese sandwich with the crusts cut off.
Marco Rubio can't manage his credit cards; he can't manage our country.
Santorum is the worst. Nothing to say about that hack clown.
Hillary Clinton makes me cringe, than makes me proud, then makes me cringe. I just saw The Big Short. Just the idea that she would accept their money makes the cringe stick. She knows better--but loves that cash.
I watched Jeb shamelessly roll out his very old mom at some rally. She seemed exasperated. Jeb looked all sheepish and cowardly. Emasculated. weak. It almost looked like she just handed a cheese sandwich with the crusts cut off.
Marco Rubio can't manage his credit cards; he can't manage our country.
Santorum is the worst. Nothing to say about that hack clown.
Hillary Clinton makes me cringe, than makes me proud, then makes me cringe. I just saw The Big Short. Just the idea that she would accept their money makes the cringe stick. She knows better--but loves that cash.
30
Your comment about Trump is, ah, on the money. Most rich people are cheap. Most rich people carry around a deep seated fear that they will one day lose it all, lose the wealth that makes them feel special, set apart from the madding crowd.
One great line about money was contained in the movie based on a Steven King book called "Dolores Claiborne" (I don't know if it is in the book too.) The main character is highly distressed because her husband as stolen their daughter's college money to spend on booze, etc. The Claiborne character works as a cook and servant in the house of a very rich woman who tells her, "I'd like to help you, Dolores, but all my money is tied up in CASH." This is a stunning line which basically tells you that, to the rich, any excuse for not helping others will do. For Trump to spend a billion on his campaign, he would have to liquidate holdings. He's not in that business, unless he is forced into it by bankruptcies.
One great line about money was contained in the movie based on a Steven King book called "Dolores Claiborne" (I don't know if it is in the book too.) The main character is highly distressed because her husband as stolen their daughter's college money to spend on booze, etc. The Claiborne character works as a cook and servant in the house of a very rich woman who tells her, "I'd like to help you, Dolores, but all my money is tied up in CASH." This is a stunning line which basically tells you that, to the rich, any excuse for not helping others will do. For Trump to spend a billion on his campaign, he would have to liquidate holdings. He's not in that business, unless he is forced into it by bankruptcies.
4
Jeb! is just following the Bungalo Bill principle: "In case of accidents he always took his mom."
8
In his endorsement of Rubio, Santorum said that he was looking for an "outsider." Well, Rubio is his man. During his term, Rubio has been absent from the Senate chamber most of the time, a true outsider. When Rubio speaks, he reminds me of a high-school student who has memorized his oral book report and delivers it before the class faster than a tobacco auctioneer.
And you didn't mention Ben Carson, the candidate who will probably drop out as soon as his book sales flatten.
And you didn't mention Ben Carson, the candidate who will probably drop out as soon as his book sales flatten.
41
Poor Carly, ousted from this Ship of Tools. I was so looking forward to hearing more from her about the "fully-formed fetus" that was dealing a hand of pinochle while the evil Planned Parenthood monsters took bids for its body parts. You can say this for her: she may have run a major corporation into the ground and caused 30,000 layoffs all the while bragging about her success in the business world, she may have told an enormous and inexcusable lie about PP to gull the suckers, she may have snarled like a cornered rat when called on her mendacity, but on the upside she.....never mind.
95
And now she wants gender-based affirmative action to get past the debate cutoff! A contemptible hypocrite.
3
Should JEB! somehow be nominated to run as the Republican presidential candidate, and then to win the election in November, perhaps he could bring his mama along with him to negotiate with Vladimir Putin about Russia's Ukrainian incursion. I'm sure the North Koreans and ISIS insurgents would quake in their boots at the thought of Barbara Bush standing in for JEB! during negotiations.
Hey! Now that JEB! is running TV ads in New Hampshire starring his brother George "WMD" Bush, perhaps JEB! could devote his entire presidency to a governing philosophy based on WWMD: What Would Mama Do?
Hey! Now that JEB! is running TV ads in New Hampshire starring his brother George "WMD" Bush, perhaps JEB! could devote his entire presidency to a governing philosophy based on WWMD: What Would Mama Do?
22
God God, of course Clinton went for the money: even wisdom bows to self-interest. Is she supposed to be un-american?
36
"Now, every member was united in a bipartisan desire to leap over the table and strangle the witness." Ha!
All kidding aside, apparently our laws allow capitalists to play God with people's lives.
This has to change.
All kidding aside, apparently our laws allow capitalists to play God with people's lives.
This has to change.
42
Gail, I'm hardly a Carly Fiorina booster, but as of yesterday afternoon polls were showing her leading at least two or three Republican males who WILL be on-stage for the next debate. If the RNC had any shame, they'd be forced to admit that, if this isn't a travesty and an affront to nominal democracy, it's at best an embarrassment.
Meanwhile, more than one cable news pundit dinged Donald Trump for not yet making it to New Hampshire when, at 90, Barbara Bush could be seen pushing her walker through the snow.
To give equal time to Democratic hypocrisy: Hillary Clinton has been making the bogus argument that, by his definition, no one but Bernie Sanders could be considered "progressive." She cites one or another deviation in voting records of various other Democratic legislators, e.g., a vote for the "Defense of Marriage Act" (DOMA) by the late Paul Wellstone. What she isn't 'getting' is that no one or two of these issues is enough to disqualify her as a "progressive," but that she has been on the wrong or counter-progressive side of MANY issues.
A non-exhaustive list of her non-progressive positions includes: Capital punishment (for it), legalizing recreational marijuana (against it), medical marijuana (still pretty washy-washy), same-sex marriage (opposed it before she started robotically repeating the mantra of "LGBT rights"), death with dignity (Can we talk -- err-- delay?), and committing to a moratorium on additional U.S. troop deployments abroad (No can do!).
Meanwhile, more than one cable news pundit dinged Donald Trump for not yet making it to New Hampshire when, at 90, Barbara Bush could be seen pushing her walker through the snow.
To give equal time to Democratic hypocrisy: Hillary Clinton has been making the bogus argument that, by his definition, no one but Bernie Sanders could be considered "progressive." She cites one or another deviation in voting records of various other Democratic legislators, e.g., a vote for the "Defense of Marriage Act" (DOMA) by the late Paul Wellstone. What she isn't 'getting' is that no one or two of these issues is enough to disqualify her as a "progressive," but that she has been on the wrong or counter-progressive side of MANY issues.
A non-exhaustive list of her non-progressive positions includes: Capital punishment (for it), legalizing recreational marijuana (against it), medical marijuana (still pretty washy-washy), same-sex marriage (opposed it before she started robotically repeating the mantra of "LGBT rights"), death with dignity (Can we talk -- err-- delay?), and committing to a moratorium on additional U.S. troop deployments abroad (No can do!).
18
Beleve me when I tell you that nowhere in the nation does a part-time prof who lacks a doctorate or a serious book deal make $69 grand a year for a ten hour per week job that he doesn't show up for regularly.
Hey, here's a thought: some crusader needs to get hold of a) the records of his hiring process, b) his evals that first year, c) where he was on Rate My Professor.
Or in brief, teaching is a privilege. What a sleaze.
Hey, here's a thought: some crusader needs to get hold of a) the records of his hiring process, b) his evals that first year, c) where he was on Rate My Professor.
Or in brief, teaching is a privilege. What a sleaze.
305
Gail is right about the speaking fees. When Hillary Clinton's "rock star" like lists of additional demands, in conjunction with her speeches, resurfaces, her approval ratings will take an additional hit,especially among the "young" demographic. The exhorbitant fees that Hillary Clinton charged to deliver numerous speeches,including many at colleges, may prove to be an existential threat to her presidential ambitions. The optics, especially at a time of mammoth student debt, are terrible. There is simply no way to justify paying a person hundreds of thousands of dollars for a 45 minute speech. It speaks to the issue of "Clinton Entitlement".When she said she would "look in" to releasing the transcripts of her speeches to financial institutions, I couldn't help thinking of the exponential irony if there was a damaging political I.E.D. in her own spoken words. She worked as a young lawyer on the House Judiciary Committee during the Impeachment of Richard Nixon. Hillary Clinton's overly defensive response on the issue of speaking fees is a tacit admission that she understands the threat this issue presents to her candidacy. Pointing out the fact that "others did it" omits the fact that they weren't actively considering a run for the presidency.
21
Don Shipp, we don't know if Ms Clinton perhaps signed non-disclosure agreements w/ recipients of these speeches, or if she needs their permission in order to publicize them. Let's see how this plays out.
Btw, her fees are not exorbitant when compared with many others.
Btw, her fees are not exorbitant when compared with many others.
4
Shkreli is the Jeffrey Dahmer of hedge fund managers, but Congress is at fault for writing all the loopholes into the law in the first place.
388
Exactly. in a sick way, Shkreli did us all a favor, by drawing attention to a few glaring truths.
One is - the random approach to drug pricing. A drug can cost what the market will bear.
The other is that while what he did was morally abhorrent, it was, and remains, completely legal in the United States.
Some of the Congressmen grilling Shkreli and attempting to shame and elicit contriteness from him, are the same Congressmen who oppose Obamacare and regulations of any kind. Ironic.
One is - the random approach to drug pricing. A drug can cost what the market will bear.
The other is that while what he did was morally abhorrent, it was, and remains, completely legal in the United States.
Some of the Congressmen grilling Shkreli and attempting to shame and elicit contriteness from him, are the same Congressmen who oppose Obamacare and regulations of any kind. Ironic.
398
Yes, what the market will bear is the crux. Since when does every human need have to have "a market solution?" The United States has turned capitalism into an enormous evil. Defining the most basic human needs such as food, shelter, medical care and education might best be removed from "market solutions" altogether.
80
Hear hear!
9
Clinton's response to the question about why she took so much money from Goldman Sachs for her speeches ("That's what they offered") reminds me of the comment attributed to the famous bank robber, Willie Sutton. When asked by a reporter why he robbed banks, Sutton supposedly responded, "because that's where the money is."
In similar fashion, Clinton's response reflects a failure to grasp the moral issue behind the question. Whatever her behavior reveals about her real attitude toward Wall Street, it clearly demonstrates a passion for wealth that shortcircuited her capacity for judgment. The tone-deaf nature of her answer also shows that, even after ample time to reflect on her actions, she still fails to understand how the money has tainted her public image.
It is this moral and intellectual obtuseness, not her alleged ties to Wall Street, that bothers me most. If Clinton can't understand the inappropriateness of accepting large sums of money from an industry she herself says requires further regulation, how can we trust her judgment on other matters? Does her stubbornness expose a refusal to learn from her mistakes?
Clinton is probably the smartest, certainly the most experienced, candidate in the race. But a stubborn defensiveness, which dismisses criticism as a product of personal hostility to her, does not inspire confidence about her capacity to grown on the job. That should be no small source of concern to her supporters.
In similar fashion, Clinton's response reflects a failure to grasp the moral issue behind the question. Whatever her behavior reveals about her real attitude toward Wall Street, it clearly demonstrates a passion for wealth that shortcircuited her capacity for judgment. The tone-deaf nature of her answer also shows that, even after ample time to reflect on her actions, she still fails to understand how the money has tainted her public image.
It is this moral and intellectual obtuseness, not her alleged ties to Wall Street, that bothers me most. If Clinton can't understand the inappropriateness of accepting large sums of money from an industry she herself says requires further regulation, how can we trust her judgment on other matters? Does her stubbornness expose a refusal to learn from her mistakes?
Clinton is probably the smartest, certainly the most experienced, candidate in the race. But a stubborn defensiveness, which dismisses criticism as a product of personal hostility to her, does not inspire confidence about her capacity to grown on the job. That should be no small source of concern to her supporters.
123
Interesting that it is all right for Republicans to the the money wherever it is offered, but somehow, when a Clinton takes it is is unacceptable? Is Capitalism only for some?
17
Fine, but I'd like to know the appropriate kind of guilt or remorse she would express. "I'm sorry I took so much money -- half or a quarter would have been enough." ? "I shouldn't have spoken before them -- they are of the dark side." ? "I know I shouldn't live like a capitalist, because I'm a public servant." ? Really -- what should it be?
19
No male candidate has ever been asked about his speaking fees, ever. And plenty have given speeches at places people don't like. To me this is just another iteration of the "she's too loud, screechy, shrill fill in the degratory word" criticism.
It's about shaming a woman for having a voice and expertise. And, gasp, earn money for her ability. How dare she? That's a man's job.
While I don't like GS any more than you do, let's look first in this case at the double standards applied to men and women and if there are none there, I'm much more willing to go w this critique. Until then, it's embeded in the sexist idea that women are "worth less" (77cents on the dollar anyone?) and shouldn't be compensated when their "market value" is high as HRCs is, and that they should stay silent, pipe down, talk like a lady, don't shout, don't be shrill, like no man ever.
It's about shaming a woman for having a voice and expertise. And, gasp, earn money for her ability. How dare she? That's a man's job.
While I don't like GS any more than you do, let's look first in this case at the double standards applied to men and women and if there are none there, I'm much more willing to go w this critique. Until then, it's embeded in the sexist idea that women are "worth less" (77cents on the dollar anyone?) and shouldn't be compensated when their "market value" is high as HRCs is, and that they should stay silent, pipe down, talk like a lady, don't shout, don't be shrill, like no man ever.
312
One of the great puzzles of the Democratic campaign is why Hillary Clinton, having pursued her party`s nomination for years, makes bone-headed decisions clearly likely to come back to haunt her. You don`t do sensitive or secret e-mails on unprotected servers......your average adolescent knows that. To do so as Secretary of State suggests either incredible ignorance or incredible arrogance, neither of which one wants in a president. And it never occurred to her taking $675,000 from a suspect enterprise like Goldman Sachs would raise eyebrows? Take the cash to create a scholarship fund at a historically black college, thereby confirming you know how to do the right thing. Pocketing it enables others to paint you as sleazy as the influence buyers who paid you (while sneering inwardly that you sold out for so little). On the other hand it may have been a positive that Marco Rubio missed three of ten class sessions for his college course, reportedly "Principles of Financial Management". His performance in managing money leaves much to be desired, although his success in finding a wealthy patron to keep him in the style he hopes to secure on a permanent basis may inspire a future generation. The point, whether talking of Clinton or Rubio, is their shared belief they can behave in the most obtuse, self-serving ways and it will be neither noticed or resented. Clinton knows full well Goldman Sachs is not buying her expertise, while Rubio will sell whatever his patron may desire.
91
Yeah, she should not have done what Colin Powell and Condi Rice did. Definitely bad form.
7
Fun lists as always from Ms. Collins. But she "forgot":
*Bernie Sanders as a candidate is really a thing*. He was down 61% in Iowa one year ago against Clinton, and closed to 0.3% after being down 3% a week before the caucus. Two months ago Quinnipiac had Sanders down nationally 61-30% against Clinton. Yesterday Quinnipiac has it down to 44-42% Clinton-Sanders with a 2.9% margin of error.
In that same poll, Sanders comes out better against all (R)s than Clinton. Clinton loses to Rubio by 7%, while Sanders and Rubio tie. Sanders and Rubio are the only net favorable candidates.
Like Sanders or not I think we can all agree that his candidacy is real, his chances are very good and have continued to improve.
*Bernie Sanders as a candidate is really a thing*. He was down 61% in Iowa one year ago against Clinton, and closed to 0.3% after being down 3% a week before the caucus. Two months ago Quinnipiac had Sanders down nationally 61-30% against Clinton. Yesterday Quinnipiac has it down to 44-42% Clinton-Sanders with a 2.9% margin of error.
In that same poll, Sanders comes out better against all (R)s than Clinton. Clinton loses to Rubio by 7%, while Sanders and Rubio tie. Sanders and Rubio are the only net favorable candidates.
Like Sanders or not I think we can all agree that his candidacy is real, his chances are very good and have continued to improve.
61
Jlalbrecht...in Austria.
It seems that other countries' govts negotiate drug prices, as Sanders advocates for the US. This is apparently accepted in principle even by EU conservative parties. It means they respect their citizens enough to make their h/c for all work properly, instead of putting corporate profits as 1st priority. I wonder how their profits compare with US corporations.
But don't they also use public funding for elections instead of sponsorship by billionaires and corporations? And with limits on private donations?
It must be asked....Why don't big drug/insurance companies in other countries lobby and pay off their lawmakers to let them charge whatever they want for drugs and insurance? After all it's raking in the big bucks in USA. I can't understand it, don't those foreigners value profits and private enterprise like we do?
I've read they don't even allow TV direct to consumer drug commercials. They don't see this as 'big govt intrusion' into profits?
Bernie Sanders tells us in his speeches that he once took a busload of women with cancer conditions to Canada to buy their drugs at 1/10th the cost in US.
It seems that other countries' govts negotiate drug prices, as Sanders advocates for the US. This is apparently accepted in principle even by EU conservative parties. It means they respect their citizens enough to make their h/c for all work properly, instead of putting corporate profits as 1st priority. I wonder how their profits compare with US corporations.
But don't they also use public funding for elections instead of sponsorship by billionaires and corporations? And with limits on private donations?
It must be asked....Why don't big drug/insurance companies in other countries lobby and pay off their lawmakers to let them charge whatever they want for drugs and insurance? After all it's raking in the big bucks in USA. I can't understand it, don't those foreigners value profits and private enterprise like we do?
I've read they don't even allow TV direct to consumer drug commercials. They don't see this as 'big govt intrusion' into profits?
Bernie Sanders tells us in his speeches that he once took a busload of women with cancer conditions to Canada to buy their drugs at 1/10th the cost in US.
80
Well, you have a point. The column is "things we love to loathe," and the Times obviously loethes the fact that Sanders is even running.
10
@Meredith: The short answer to most of your questions is, "Get money out of politics."
I don't know exactly how it is in other EU countries, but I think it is mostly the same as here. Federally funded national elections with campaign spending limits around the €10 million, with penalties if you spend too much of your budget on advertisement. Private donations are allowed, but also severely limited. No TV ads are allowed.
Drug prices are limited by the gov't. Prescribed medicine is subsidized by the gov't. Drug ads are limited to things like cough syrup. I get more on-line Viagra spam from the US than anywhere else.
Lots of other examples, but the main thing is very limited money in politics, and strict limits on political ads.
Since WWII democratic socialism has done a great job of building a society that works for everyone, just like it was in the US of my youth. The difference is that Austria (and Europe - except partly England) didn't have a "Reagan revolution" starting in the 80's that slowly (and then quickly) chipped away democratic socialism.
Get the money out of politics (including the legalized bribery of "speaking fees") and the politicians will again have to listen to their constituents. As a certain Senator from Vermont has done his whole career.
I don't know exactly how it is in other EU countries, but I think it is mostly the same as here. Federally funded national elections with campaign spending limits around the €10 million, with penalties if you spend too much of your budget on advertisement. Private donations are allowed, but also severely limited. No TV ads are allowed.
Drug prices are limited by the gov't. Prescribed medicine is subsidized by the gov't. Drug ads are limited to things like cough syrup. I get more on-line Viagra spam from the US than anywhere else.
Lots of other examples, but the main thing is very limited money in politics, and strict limits on political ads.
Since WWII democratic socialism has done a great job of building a society that works for everyone, just like it was in the US of my youth. The difference is that Austria (and Europe - except partly England) didn't have a "Reagan revolution" starting in the 80's that slowly (and then quickly) chipped away democratic socialism.
Get the money out of politics (including the legalized bribery of "speaking fees") and the politicians will again have to listen to their constituents. As a certain Senator from Vermont has done his whole career.
8
"Now, every member was united in a bipartisan desire to leap over the table and strangle the witness. Nobody has brought forth so much shared emotion since" Ted Cruz..
143
Sorry, Ms. Collins, I must disagree with you about Ms. Hillary Rodham Clinton's speaking engagements. She is the most admired woman in the world. What did you expect her to do when she left the Secretary of State's office - stay home and knit or bake cookies? The real issue is that she still doesn't make as much as the boys and that is what the women of America should be concerned about when they decide who to vote for. Who is the highest paid public speaker?
1.Donald Trump, $1-1.5 million:
2.Ronald Reagan, $1 million:
3.Tony Blair, $616,000:
4.Bill Clinton, $150,000- $450,000:
5. Rudy Guilani, $270,000:
http://publicspeaking.co.ke/post/10-highest-paid-public-speakers-in-the-...
1.Donald Trump, $1-1.5 million:
2.Ronald Reagan, $1 million:
3.Tony Blair, $616,000:
4.Bill Clinton, $150,000- $450,000:
5. Rudy Guilani, $270,000:
http://publicspeaking.co.ke/post/10-highest-paid-public-speakers-in-the-...
196
From the moment she resigned as Secretary of State, it was commonly known she was "resting up" for another Presidential run, and getting her ducks in a row. For someone who is contemplating another Presidential run, getting money at the rate of $225K per hour, and adding that money to one's personal wealth, does not pass the smell test.
Have you ever heard of the term "quid pro quo"? Or do you just think those financial firms are starved for good speakers?
Have you ever heard of the term "quid pro quo"? Or do you just think those financial firms are starved for good speakers?
116
Sorry NJGLEA but if you are going to represent progressive causes then authenticity somewhere has to play a part.
Bernie passes this test. He doesn't waffle on the issues and is very smart as well.
We may give short shrift to character but somewhere the courage to maintain principle has to be there.
Whether Republican or Democratic, this nation wants real change, not business as usual.
Bernie passes this test. He doesn't waffle on the issues and is very smart as well.
We may give short shrift to character but somewhere the courage to maintain principle has to be there.
Whether Republican or Democratic, this nation wants real change, not business as usual.
9
njglea ** I believe Reagan got $2,000.000 for a speech in Japan.
6
Those transcripts will only come to light, without redactions, if a third party leaks them. I bet that they would be Hillary's "47% moment".
The only thing worse would be seeing video of Hillary driving out to the Hamptons with a dog carrier on the roof.
The only thing worse would be seeing video of Hillary driving out to the Hamptons with a dog carrier on the roof.
40
RM, I don't believe it's appropriate to demand that HRC disclose the texts of her speeches at Goldman Sachs.
In my experience in corporate America, executive retreats often include talks by "celebrities" from sports, entertainment or, yes, even politics/government who are given access to certain aspects of the company's proprietary information that the speakers may then choose to incorporate into their remarks. My understanding is that HRC wasn't addressing the general GS workforce, but rather executives at such a retreat (you know - people like Ted Cruz's wife!). So she may have been given and used such information (projections/milestones/new products...).
Publicizing the transcripts might well breach an existing confidentiality agreement or provide competitors an unfair look (albeit retrospective) at the internal workings of GS.
And as for this being her "47% moment", let's face it: there's always someone inside any organization, however right or left its leanings, who's happy to spill the beans if there's something "hot" to be revealed (how did we all hear Romney's "47%" remarks after all? they didn't come from his campaign staff!). So if there were a smoking gun in any of Hillary's GS speeches, my guess is that it would already have been made public.
There's no Seamus on the rooftop here. And if I recall correctly, Mittens was driving the poor dog to Canada, not the Hamptons.
In my experience in corporate America, executive retreats often include talks by "celebrities" from sports, entertainment or, yes, even politics/government who are given access to certain aspects of the company's proprietary information that the speakers may then choose to incorporate into their remarks. My understanding is that HRC wasn't addressing the general GS workforce, but rather executives at such a retreat (you know - people like Ted Cruz's wife!). So she may have been given and used such information (projections/milestones/new products...).
Publicizing the transcripts might well breach an existing confidentiality agreement or provide competitors an unfair look (albeit retrospective) at the internal workings of GS.
And as for this being her "47% moment", let's face it: there's always someone inside any organization, however right or left its leanings, who's happy to spill the beans if there's something "hot" to be revealed (how did we all hear Romney's "47%" remarks after all? they didn't come from his campaign staff!). So if there were a smoking gun in any of Hillary's GS speeches, my guess is that it would already have been made public.
There's no Seamus on the rooftop here. And if I recall correctly, Mittens was driving the poor dog to Canada, not the Hamptons.
36
Newyourkaise,
You are suggesting that Goldman Sachs gave secret, confidential inside information to Hillary in preparation of her talk? To the tough woman who is going to keep them on a short leash? Come on.
By the way, that would not make her a speaker. That would make her a consultant to the financial industry.
You are suggesting that Goldman Sachs gave secret, confidential inside information to Hillary in preparation of her talk? To the tough woman who is going to keep them on a short leash? Come on.
By the way, that would not make her a speaker. That would make her a consultant to the financial industry.
18
Someone is pulling the wool over your eyes Newyorkaise
1
There is nothing funny about Martin Shkreli. His arrogance is symptomatic of the attitude of those we have allowed to rob us blind. He reminds me of the derelict aristocrats hanging around the French monarchy before they all lost their heads. There were so many, and they were so corrupt, they had to invent the the guillotine to get rid of them efficiently. It is time for Wall Street heads to roll - starting with BIG pharma and BIG banks.
255
Watching him at the hearing was surreal. He seemed a cartoon, a caricature of himself. Are the rich and powerful really as arrogant as he seemed? You'd think they'd want to appear a bit more refined.
54
The problem is that this isn't how most corporate types, intent on profit w/o regard to ethics, look or speak. They are wolves dressed in Armanis or bespoke suits, no weird mannerisms on display, and would convincingly explain how they are operating to provide more jobs and leadership in the industry. And they give a lot of money to pols.
12
@Susan
Are the rich and powerful really as arrogant as he seemed? Yes, yes they are. In fact, they are even worse than he seemed. I just finished listening to the audiobook version of Jane Mayer's Dark Money. I highly recommend it, though you may find yourself looking for your pitchfork and torch by the time you make it to the end. I know I did...and I actually own a pitchfork.
It's even worse than it looks.
Are the rich and powerful really as arrogant as he seemed? Yes, yes they are. In fact, they are even worse than he seemed. I just finished listening to the audiobook version of Jane Mayer's Dark Money. I highly recommend it, though you may find yourself looking for your pitchfork and torch by the time you make it to the end. I know I did...and I actually own a pitchfork.
It's even worse than it looks.
15
The only people worse than Shkreli are the people who think berating him accomplishes anything. He took the system - where drug prices are fixed according to the maker's desire for a profit - to its logical conclusion. Of course Congress could try to change that system, and NYT columnists could use this as a teachable moment to explain why and how the system needs to be changed. But let's berate the guy and make ourselves feel better and morally smug, rather than trying to change a system which all drug makers are exploiting.
The Congresspeople in that room should in particular be ashamed of themselves - all hot air and diversion. They legislated this monster, and they could legislate it to the dustbin. But no, they want the drug makers' campaign donations, so they'll settle for yelling at Shkreli and - maybe - putting a patch or two on the current system.
The Congresspeople in that room should in particular be ashamed of themselves - all hot air and diversion. They legislated this monster, and they could legislate it to the dustbin. But no, they want the drug makers' campaign donations, so they'll settle for yelling at Shkreli and - maybe - putting a patch or two on the current system.
585
Excellent abo.
4
There's truth in what you say. Shkreli is a small fish in the big pharmaceutical pond. And legally, he's not in trouble for swimming with sharks and gouging sick people for all they're worth and then some.
The tragic irony is he's in a legal bind for hoodwinking rich people.
We all got the predatory capitalist memo: take advantage of the sick all you want...but don't you EVER try to stick it to a fellow investor.
The tragic irony is he's in a legal bind for hoodwinking rich people.
We all got the predatory capitalist memo: take advantage of the sick all you want...but don't you EVER try to stick it to a fellow investor.
2
Senator Rubio gets to skip classes while being paid $69,000 while low wage workers live in constant fear of losing a day's pay or even their jobs if they miss work for a day due to their children's illness or their own. His Senate attendance record is equally abysmal but he has no worry about losing his paycheck there, either. It's disgusting.
770
Amen!!
7
Rubio's attendance record strongly suggests that the electorate should insist on knowing his choices for unelected staffers and cabinet members since they will likely be running the executive branch in his absence.
10
May I add that Marco also opposes raising the minimum wage?
5
Don't worry, Hillary, I found your 2013 Wall St transcripts when you raked in a whopping $3.2 million for speeches and they were all just lovely and heartfelt.
Morgan Stanley $225,000 "I love derivatives"
Deutsche Bank $225,000 "I love debt swaps"
Fidelity Investments $225,000 "Glass Steagall is for suckers"
Apollo Management Holdings $225,000 "some more tax cuts with your capital gains, anyone ?"
Itau BBA USA Securities $225,000 "some freshly sliced carried interest exemptions, anyone ?"
Sanford C. Bernstein $225,000 "corporations are people, too"
Goldman Sachs $225,000 "Thank you for doing God's work !"
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts $225,000 "Please keep paying me; what a racket !"
UBS Wealth Management $225,000 "How can I be of service ?"
Goldman Sachs $225,000 (again) "I'm certain Jesus was a hedge-funder"
Goldman Sachs $225,000 (again !) "I feel as if I'm touching the face of God"
Golden Tree Asset Management $275,000 "Wall Street regulates Congress, in case anyone had any doubts"
Bank of America $225,000 "I wish you a Merry Christmas"
CME Group $225,000 "I represent the American people.....who work on Wall Street"
https://www.hillaryclinton.com/documents/13/HRC_2013_Speeches_-_Tax_Retu...
With Democrats like Hillary Clinton, who needs Republicans ?
Feel The Bern
Morgan Stanley $225,000 "I love derivatives"
Deutsche Bank $225,000 "I love debt swaps"
Fidelity Investments $225,000 "Glass Steagall is for suckers"
Apollo Management Holdings $225,000 "some more tax cuts with your capital gains, anyone ?"
Itau BBA USA Securities $225,000 "some freshly sliced carried interest exemptions, anyone ?"
Sanford C. Bernstein $225,000 "corporations are people, too"
Goldman Sachs $225,000 "Thank you for doing God's work !"
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts $225,000 "Please keep paying me; what a racket !"
UBS Wealth Management $225,000 "How can I be of service ?"
Goldman Sachs $225,000 (again) "I'm certain Jesus was a hedge-funder"
Goldman Sachs $225,000 (again !) "I feel as if I'm touching the face of God"
Golden Tree Asset Management $275,000 "Wall Street regulates Congress, in case anyone had any doubts"
Bank of America $225,000 "I wish you a Merry Christmas"
CME Group $225,000 "I represent the American people.....who work on Wall Street"
https://www.hillaryclinton.com/documents/13/HRC_2013_Speeches_-_Tax_Retu...
With Democrats like Hillary Clinton, who needs Republicans ?
Feel The Bern
474
Supreme Court - ten Scalias. Feel the Bern.
16
The Miami Heat paid LeBron James $20 million in 2013.
What influence do you think the Miami Heat over LeBron James in 2016 ?
The answer: none.
These are one-time transactions, not some sort of underhanded contract for a lifetime of indentured servitude.
What influence do you think the Miami Heat over LeBron James in 2016 ?
The answer: none.
These are one-time transactions, not some sort of underhanded contract for a lifetime of indentured servitude.
14
I bet you that when I transfer/send your unfortunate comment to Bernie - and I will - that he will firmly say that he does NOT need or want your vote.
He is a greater man than many hanging around out there, by a long shot.
He is a greater man than many hanging around out there, by a long shot.
6
Opinion: All the terrible things Hillary Clinton has done — in one big list
By Brett Arends
Published: Feb 5, 2016 7:33 a.m. ET
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/all-the-terrible-things-hillary-clinton...
Here they are:
1. When she was first lady, she murdered White House lawyer Vince Foster and then dumped his body in a park.
2. She drove Vince Foster to commit suicide through her temper tantrums.
3. She was having an affair with Vince Foster.
4. She’s a lesbian.
8. After she murdered Vince Foster, she ransacked his office in the middle of the night and stole all the documents proving her guilt.
7. She murdered Vince Foster to cover up her role in firing the White House travel department.
8. After she murdered Vince Foster, she ransacked his office in the middle of the night and stole all the documents proving her guilt.
12. Unnamed and unverifiable sources have told Peggy Noonan things about the Clintons that are simply too terrible to repeat.
13. The personnel murdered at Benghazi make her the first secretary of state to lose overseas personnel to terrorism — apart from Condi Rice, Colin Powell, Madeleine Albright, George Schultz, Dean Rusk and some others.
50. When Bill was president, she “allowed” him to keep people waiting.
65. She looked bored during the Benghazi hearings.
66. Oh, yeah — and she totally has a vagina.
It’s clear: Hillary must be stopped. Hearings now!
By Brett Arends
Published: Feb 5, 2016 7:33 a.m. ET
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/all-the-terrible-things-hillary-clinton...
Here they are:
1. When she was first lady, she murdered White House lawyer Vince Foster and then dumped his body in a park.
2. She drove Vince Foster to commit suicide through her temper tantrums.
3. She was having an affair with Vince Foster.
4. She’s a lesbian.
8. After she murdered Vince Foster, she ransacked his office in the middle of the night and stole all the documents proving her guilt.
7. She murdered Vince Foster to cover up her role in firing the White House travel department.
8. After she murdered Vince Foster, she ransacked his office in the middle of the night and stole all the documents proving her guilt.
12. Unnamed and unverifiable sources have told Peggy Noonan things about the Clintons that are simply too terrible to repeat.
13. The personnel murdered at Benghazi make her the first secretary of state to lose overseas personnel to terrorism — apart from Condi Rice, Colin Powell, Madeleine Albright, George Schultz, Dean Rusk and some others.
50. When Bill was president, she “allowed” him to keep people waiting.
65. She looked bored during the Benghazi hearings.
66. Oh, yeah — and she totally has a vagina.
It’s clear: Hillary must be stopped. Hearings now!
212
Item "2." is mutually exclusive of items "3." and "8."
After eliminating either murder or suicide, what proof do you have for any of the remaining items in your list?
Oh, this was supposed to be tongue in cheek, right? My bad...
After eliminating either murder or suicide, what proof do you have for any of the remaining items in your list?
Oh, this was supposed to be tongue in cheek, right? My bad...
2
Right! Shocking, eh? And I think she's the only person ever to have spoken to a Wall Street Group who got paid a lot. Usually, you just get a donut and all the coffee you can drink.
7
This is insane and wrong, GOP propaganda!
There probably is at least one hedge fund manager out there who doesn’t deserve the utter contempt of every American; but I can’t think of a single one of us who doesn’t think Martin Shkreli is truly icky. We can all occasionally appreciate the truth of the old adage that “Sometime the only real solution to a problem is to shoot some SOB (Student Of Broadcasting)”.
But this Saturday’s offering by Gail isn’t hyper-impressive, which is rare: she’s normally particularly good at lists. Lest it not be a total loss, let me add a few things we all love to loathe.
1. Finding oneself seated on an airplane next to someone with a full, flowing and unkempt beard, a copy of the Koran on a knee, a wild look, sneakers and a book of matches in his hand.
2. Being caught in a subway car with no escape, mashed between two southern Europeans talking across you about the healthful aspects of abundant garlic in food.
3. Inability to sleep for worrying over what Rick Santorum will do with his life now that he can’t be president.
4. Dentists.
5. MS Windows auto-restarts when you have five things running.
6. Bad irony.
7. Undercooked eel.
8. Going to your high school reunion and discovering that the only one who put on fifty pounds and lost most of his hair is you.
9. Discovering that you neglected to bring earbuds and your phone when caught in a stalled elevator for a day with Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders.
10. Handling raw chicken.
Feel free to add your own.
But this Saturday’s offering by Gail isn’t hyper-impressive, which is rare: she’s normally particularly good at lists. Lest it not be a total loss, let me add a few things we all love to loathe.
1. Finding oneself seated on an airplane next to someone with a full, flowing and unkempt beard, a copy of the Koran on a knee, a wild look, sneakers and a book of matches in his hand.
2. Being caught in a subway car with no escape, mashed between two southern Europeans talking across you about the healthful aspects of abundant garlic in food.
3. Inability to sleep for worrying over what Rick Santorum will do with his life now that he can’t be president.
4. Dentists.
5. MS Windows auto-restarts when you have five things running.
6. Bad irony.
7. Undercooked eel.
8. Going to your high school reunion and discovering that the only one who put on fifty pounds and lost most of his hair is you.
9. Discovering that you neglected to bring earbuds and your phone when caught in a stalled elevator for a day with Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders.
10. Handling raw chicken.
Feel free to add your own.
15
Pretty good list. How about boarding a plane to Australia and finding that all of the in-flight movies star either Nicholas Cage or Adam Sandler?
31
stu:
Not bad. That's one reason why I keep movies on both a PC and an iPad -- and none of them feature Nicholas Cage or Adam Sandler.
Not bad. That's one reason why I keep movies on both a PC and an iPad -- and none of them feature Nicholas Cage or Adam Sandler.
5
11. The first two words in your post.
3
"Clinton is never going to say she’s sorry, release transcripts or announce that she’s decided to clear everything up by donating $675,000 to charity. It is what it is, and you’re going to have to take it or leave it."
Yes. And a vast chorus tells us that we just have to take it, to save the Supreme Court. As if she could be trusted on the Supreme Court either, or anything.
Why can't some decent investigative reporter find out what she said that she dare not let us know?
Is she hiding her own Mitt Romney 47% moment?
What could she say to those bankers that has her in full hide-the-ball mode? That must be what she DID say.
Yes. And a vast chorus tells us that we just have to take it, to save the Supreme Court. As if she could be trusted on the Supreme Court either, or anything.
Why can't some decent investigative reporter find out what she said that she dare not let us know?
Is she hiding her own Mitt Romney 47% moment?
What could she say to those bankers that has her in full hide-the-ball mode? That must be what she DID say.
51
I kind'a think she could be trusted on Supreme Court appointments- or has she taken money to speak at convocations of right-wing justices?
104
Come on Mark, you're a lawyer. She got paid for it, and it is proprietary.
It belongs to the people that paid for it.
It does not matter what she said, they put their money in the pot, and took their chances just like any poker game. If you were GS who would you bet on?
It belongs to the people that paid for it.
It does not matter what she said, they put their money in the pot, and took their chances just like any poker game. If you were GS who would you bet on?
33
David, There is a piece in the WaPo that says as part of her contract for these speeches, Ms. Clinton included a stenographer to transcribe the speech and her comments, and the product would belong exclusively to Mrs. Clinton. The writer was making the point that as sole owner Ms. Clinton had no one else stopping her from releasing the transcripts.
Personally I could care less what she said in the speeches. I am shocked at how poorly she handled the questions. Not only did she give very "guilty" answers, she did it with such an angry and defiant look on her face. If I had made those speeches with a clear conscience, I would have no problem standing up to Mr. Sanders or Anderson Cooper and stating my justifications. And I am normally a shy person.
Personally I could care less what she said in the speeches. I am shocked at how poorly she handled the questions. Not only did she give very "guilty" answers, she did it with such an angry and defiant look on her face. If I had made those speeches with a clear conscience, I would have no problem standing up to Mr. Sanders or Anderson Cooper and stating my justifications. And I am normally a shy person.
30
What, no mention of Rafael's people sending out the word that Doctor Carson was exiting the race without bothering to verify that that was actually happening? It's hard to imagine that the good doctor's supporters would believe he was actually suspending his campaign on the very day that their caucus was taking place (!) but, then again, anyone who would consider voting for him in the first place would conceivably believe just about anything (like the earth being only 5000 years old). And then, of course, it was Donald Trump who leaped to the Doctor's defense (?) by intimating that Rafael's dirty deed was really all about him, because, after all, any votes withheld from Carson would ultimately be withheld from him (if not from Bush, Kasich, Krispiecreme, et al). And, somehow or other, it's Marco Rubio, who neither won nor placed, who is determined by the press to have come away with the hearts and minds of Iowans on this day. You can't make this stuff up. Not even in America.
235
all said in one breath!
6
I agree, Stu, the press analysis is insane. 6% of the population voted in Iowa. The entire exercise was and is irrelevant. Reality, reason, please??
4
When we were young college students, we believed we knew what was wrong with the world and how to fix it.There was a lot of anger about Viet Nam, and we wanted a Socialist revolution.
However movements like the "Free Speech Movement" upset the older generations, and we got Regan, who's influence is with us today. Sanders is tapping into that generational anger by attacking the banks, and he has help from their parents generation who found them selves in financial straights due to the hidden economy, engineered by a series of financial wizards called Quants. Statistical nerds who figured out how to sell others debt to "investors."
Of course banks do what banks have always done, make loans to anyone they can help to qualify for them. Now these young people think Sanders can make banks behave they way they want them to. Sanders is no FDR, nor is HRC, and the current congress is the result of GOP Gerrymandering. So good luck with that. Both of them will attack the GOP, but its supporters will not listen. The have to suffer a bit more before they see the light.
Hell, as HRC says, they offered me $300K to talk, of course I took it. The banks will protect their own interests, no matter who is in office. So HRC if in office, will have to get regulations, that the public wants, and the banks will not oppose to strenuously. Sanders would find a firestorm of opposition, any legislator that tries to back his reforms, would find themselves flat broke.
However movements like the "Free Speech Movement" upset the older generations, and we got Regan, who's influence is with us today. Sanders is tapping into that generational anger by attacking the banks, and he has help from their parents generation who found them selves in financial straights due to the hidden economy, engineered by a series of financial wizards called Quants. Statistical nerds who figured out how to sell others debt to "investors."
Of course banks do what banks have always done, make loans to anyone they can help to qualify for them. Now these young people think Sanders can make banks behave they way they want them to. Sanders is no FDR, nor is HRC, and the current congress is the result of GOP Gerrymandering. So good luck with that. Both of them will attack the GOP, but its supporters will not listen. The have to suffer a bit more before they see the light.
Hell, as HRC says, they offered me $300K to talk, of course I took it. The banks will protect their own interests, no matter who is in office. So HRC if in office, will have to get regulations, that the public wants, and the banks will not oppose to strenuously. Sanders would find a firestorm of opposition, any legislator that tries to back his reforms, would find themselves flat broke.
54
Dear Mr. Underwood,
You've written some great comments in the past, but I must disagree today. Goldwater was already running for President when the FSM started in Fall 1964. He would have expanded the war the same way LBJ promised he wouldn't. Reagan would have picked up the conservative mantle no matter what. To blame any of the progressive, pro-freedom movements of 60's and 70's for the conservative backlash is like blaming the victim. I shudder to think where this country would be without those movements. The conservative movement, to which Reagan gave credibility and electoral popularity, has used all the wedge issues in our society for one purpose: to relieve the wealthy and the corporations of their tax burden. The great failure of the freedom and social movements is that they did not become political movements, like the one Bernie is trying to create. Also, we cannot deny the effectiveness of those wedge issues in cleaving working class whites from the Democratic Party.
Once Americans remember that our freedoms were won in a Revolution and that Bernie's ideas are not radical but a peaceful means of guaranteeing our freedom, and that Social Security and Medicare are Socialist programs, people will see beyond labels and recognize how common sense his proposals are. The GOP can't go on fooling too many of the people (in their gerrymandered districts) all the time. The more Americans get involved and vote, the quicker the demise of the GOP.
You've written some great comments in the past, but I must disagree today. Goldwater was already running for President when the FSM started in Fall 1964. He would have expanded the war the same way LBJ promised he wouldn't. Reagan would have picked up the conservative mantle no matter what. To blame any of the progressive, pro-freedom movements of 60's and 70's for the conservative backlash is like blaming the victim. I shudder to think where this country would be without those movements. The conservative movement, to which Reagan gave credibility and electoral popularity, has used all the wedge issues in our society for one purpose: to relieve the wealthy and the corporations of their tax burden. The great failure of the freedom and social movements is that they did not become political movements, like the one Bernie is trying to create. Also, we cannot deny the effectiveness of those wedge issues in cleaving working class whites from the Democratic Party.
Once Americans remember that our freedoms were won in a Revolution and that Bernie's ideas are not radical but a peaceful means of guaranteeing our freedom, and that Social Security and Medicare are Socialist programs, people will see beyond labels and recognize how common sense his proposals are. The GOP can't go on fooling too many of the people (in their gerrymandered districts) all the time. The more Americans get involved and vote, the quicker the demise of the GOP.
66
You say "the banks will protect their own interests" and you are right. I don't think Sanders is doubting that either. What he is insisting is given that the banks will protect their own interests no matter what, we too, as citizens, must protect OUR rights, or we will not have a middle class, and eventually a democratic republic for very long. Do you doubt that?
One observation about a lot of folks from the 60s generation who lament how they wanted Socialist recvolution and somehow life taught them a lesson - while the humanity of that observation in undeniable, it is still an egocentric judgment (we tried and could not do it, how are you going to be able to do it?) What people of goodwill of that generation must realize is they tried and got some of it done, but there was so much more that was not possible to do then without destroying the system. Now the system is destroying itself, we have no choice but to do the things we left incomplete.
I am not fan of Socialist revolution in the generic sense of the term, but I do believe that we need to fix the income inequality problem, not by destroying the rich (meaning no guillotines or firing squads) but by reminding them they need a strong middle class to have a lasting economy and it is in their own best interests to pay more taxes to pay for the infrastructure, wars and low low wages that have kept them wealthy. Or else they can always take their money and go somewhere else and try their luck.
One observation about a lot of folks from the 60s generation who lament how they wanted Socialist recvolution and somehow life taught them a lesson - while the humanity of that observation in undeniable, it is still an egocentric judgment (we tried and could not do it, how are you going to be able to do it?) What people of goodwill of that generation must realize is they tried and got some of it done, but there was so much more that was not possible to do then without destroying the system. Now the system is destroying itself, we have no choice but to do the things we left incomplete.
I am not fan of Socialist revolution in the generic sense of the term, but I do believe that we need to fix the income inequality problem, not by destroying the rich (meaning no guillotines or firing squads) but by reminding them they need a strong middle class to have a lasting economy and it is in their own best interests to pay more taxes to pay for the infrastructure, wars and low low wages that have kept them wealthy. Or else they can always take their money and go somewhere else and try their luck.
51
Hillary Clinton's responses during the debate to the issue of her relationship with Goldman Sachs and Wall Street seemed to me to miss Bernie Sanders' point in raising the question about why are they spending all that money on campaigns and lobbying. Because even if Clinton is squeaky clean in her acceptance of money and independence of thought, she is contributing to a scenario larger than her own participation, feeding a dynamic in which Wall Street clearly does influence policy and legislation through heavily financed lobbying and campaign contributions. Her activity is part of a bigger picture and is contributing to the perpetuation of that larger scenario.
I heard a story about someone once wanting to show a customer an ivory carving for sale. When the customer looked concerned, the seller told them that its import predated current rules. The customer replied that even if it were legit, its sale would be feeding trade in ivory that wasn't, and the customer walked away.
Clinton should not have taken Wall Street's money, in my opinion, for a similar reason, even if we give her the benefit of the doubt on how she handled the separation of remuneration and policy positions.
I heard a story about someone once wanting to show a customer an ivory carving for sale. When the customer looked concerned, the seller told them that its import predated current rules. The customer replied that even if it were legit, its sale would be feeding trade in ivory that wasn't, and the customer walked away.
Clinton should not have taken Wall Street's money, in my opinion, for a similar reason, even if we give her the benefit of the doubt on how she handled the separation of remuneration and policy positions.
250
If Mephistopheles offered me $300k to make a speech, I would take it. You want to spend your money and hope it will get you a more friendly candidate, than one of the others.
As the saying in a poker game goes, you put your money in the pot, and take your chances.
Now just consider which candidate would be most susceptible to anti Socialist propaganda in the south, northern plains, and those cowboy states like Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Kansas?
As the saying in a poker game goes, you put your money in the pot, and take your chances.
Now just consider which candidate would be most susceptible to anti Socialist propaganda in the south, northern plains, and those cowboy states like Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Kansas?
44
It's called the "appearance of impropriety". No need for actual impropriety. "Appearance" alone is quite sufficient. Hillary's drowning in it.
12
Yes, there's the appearance of impropriety. Also, if she wasn't bought, she essentially lied to the bankers. So why shouldn't she lie to us, if it serves he purposes. Her taking huge amounts of money to talk to the Wall Street crowd looks bad from any angle.
8
I’m surprised Shkreli isn’t running for president as a Republican. He’s got the money, the attitude and the people skills. He shows the proper disdain for government. If he quoted a few bible verses every now and then he’d be tough to beat.
In a crowded field of cringe-worthy moments in this week’s Republican scrapbook of shame, Jeb takes the cake. His plea for applause while bent in that schlubby loser posture was sadder than Old Yeller. Yet before the tears had dried we watched him bring his mom to school to lecture the mean bullies who were stealing his lunch money. Jeb may be many things, but presidential isn’t one of them. His mom seems to be pretty sharp, though. I think she’d make a far better candidate than Jeb.
Some people spend their entire paycheck buying lottery tickets, but Hillary seems to win one every time she opens her mouth. Rich people offer her a king’s ransom just for speaking to other rich people. She says there’s no quid pro quo, just a lot of quid. Makes you wonder why they do it. Bernie Sanders wonders, too.
There’s something about Marco Rubio that makes me gag. I feel anger when Ted Cruz talks, and bemused, head-shaking incomprehension at Trump’s popularity. But Rubio makes me feel queasy. I think it’s because Republicans think he’s their golden boy who’ll be standing tall after Cruz and Trump implode. I hate to tell them, but that’s just the shoes.
In a crowded field of cringe-worthy moments in this week’s Republican scrapbook of shame, Jeb takes the cake. His plea for applause while bent in that schlubby loser posture was sadder than Old Yeller. Yet before the tears had dried we watched him bring his mom to school to lecture the mean bullies who were stealing his lunch money. Jeb may be many things, but presidential isn’t one of them. His mom seems to be pretty sharp, though. I think she’d make a far better candidate than Jeb.
Some people spend their entire paycheck buying lottery tickets, but Hillary seems to win one every time she opens her mouth. Rich people offer her a king’s ransom just for speaking to other rich people. She says there’s no quid pro quo, just a lot of quid. Makes you wonder why they do it. Bernie Sanders wonders, too.
There’s something about Marco Rubio that makes me gag. I feel anger when Ted Cruz talks, and bemused, head-shaking incomprehension at Trump’s popularity. But Rubio makes me feel queasy. I think it’s because Republicans think he’s their golden boy who’ll be standing tall after Cruz and Trump implode. I hate to tell them, but that’s just the shoes.
868
He's not old enough. Onlly 32. Constitution puts the minimum age for the White House at 35.
4
I am with you on Ted Cruz and Donald Trump, but Rubio with all his boyish charm truly scares me as a Presidential candidate, possible President.
Let us hope that he is only having his turn in the sun and will be seen for the not ready for the Oval Office. blindly ambitious opportunist that he is.
Let us hope that he is only having his turn in the sun and will be seen for the not ready for the Oval Office. blindly ambitious opportunist that he is.
14
@with age...
Constitution, shmonstitution. Who cares if he's only 32? This is the party that's so ignorant of the Constitution that most of them think it says this is a "Christian nation." The age thing can be gotten around. He's the candidate who most embodies the ideals of the "business" wing of the GOP. I think he's the perfect fit for them.
Constitution, shmonstitution. Who cares if he's only 32? This is the party that's so ignorant of the Constitution that most of them think it says this is a "Christian nation." The age thing can be gotten around. He's the candidate who most embodies the ideals of the "business" wing of the GOP. I think he's the perfect fit for them.
11
A fun read, although so truthful. Makes me miss Jon Stewart. He could also make us laugh with the hard, awful truth. I miss him so much this election season.
423
You should give Trevor Noah a try. He is doing a splendid job. He really is.
10
Rick (Sanctum) Santorum,
It's not difficult to ignore him,
Backing Rubio?
"No scientist " you know,
In brains Rick and Marc lack a quorum.
For venom there's still Trump and Cruz
With Putin just aching to shmooze,
Jebenezer is who
His mother loves, too,
Chris Christie does wrong things by twos.
It's not difficult to ignore him,
Backing Rubio?
"No scientist " you know,
In brains Rick and Marc lack a quorum.
For venom there's still Trump and Cruz
With Putin just aching to shmooze,
Jebenezer is who
His mother loves, too,
Chris Christie does wrong things by twos.
227
Rick (Sanctum) Santorum,
It's not difficult to ignore him
I gotta admit that's brilliant.
It's not difficult to ignore him
I gotta admit that's brilliant.
1
Ms. Collins, I envy your irrepressible glee in bearding the lion in its den. It's easier to read the arrangement of your velvet slipknots around the necks of villains. None of your priceless vignettes gives one the feeling that we're engaging with serious, competent adults.
Rick Santorum's fluency in English is on a very low par with that of the Alaskan queen, Sarah of the Strangled Sentence. It's not amusing anymore, the ignorant and uneducated. They have, in politics, managed to stumble their way onto the broad stage of public debate and leave it laughing--at us, who shrug. Consider the debt saddled on college students when their professors (Sen. Marco Rubio) show up for three classes for $69K. What are they learning to accumulate such a crushing weight? Worst of all, is "pore Jeb is daid." I stole that from Rodgers and Hammerstein and Oklahoma. The smokehouse outcast, a summer ago, was poised to become Bush III. Not now; not ever, a fitting epitaph for a family that has spilled too much sorrow and anger onto the dining room linen, soiling it beyond cleaning or repairing. And Carly Fiorina wants to wear Hillary's ruby slippers but she won't talk about how she got them or their cost, even though she knows we know she knows. God help us! We've never been a perfect country, heaven knows,but what did we do to earn this?
Rick Santorum's fluency in English is on a very low par with that of the Alaskan queen, Sarah of the Strangled Sentence. It's not amusing anymore, the ignorant and uneducated. They have, in politics, managed to stumble their way onto the broad stage of public debate and leave it laughing--at us, who shrug. Consider the debt saddled on college students when their professors (Sen. Marco Rubio) show up for three classes for $69K. What are they learning to accumulate such a crushing weight? Worst of all, is "pore Jeb is daid." I stole that from Rodgers and Hammerstein and Oklahoma. The smokehouse outcast, a summer ago, was poised to become Bush III. Not now; not ever, a fitting epitaph for a family that has spilled too much sorrow and anger onto the dining room linen, soiling it beyond cleaning or repairing. And Carly Fiorina wants to wear Hillary's ruby slippers but she won't talk about how she got them or their cost, even though she knows we know she knows. God help us! We've never been a perfect country, heaven knows,but what did we do to earn this?
512
"Consider the debt saddled on college students when their professors (Sen. Marco Rubio) show up for three classes for $69K." I am no fan of Rubio, But Ms. Collins wrote that he MISSED three classes, thus he taught seven classes.
2
'Poor Jed is dead. A candle lights his head. He's looking' all so purty & so nice.'
3
We didn't vote.
4
.
.
Gail, you are correct about Shkreli, of course! Trump and Rubio as well. But your paragraph about Carly Fiorina should have been at the top of the list. It could have been its own column. What is the logic? The poll numbers -- which are hardly reliable in any event -- have been swinging wildly, so using them to determine who debates seems silly. It's also silly to have 9 candidates on stage, but that ship sailed in 2015.
Let Carly debate, I say. Did the Democratic race suffer from having Lincoln Chafee and Jim Webb on a debate stage? I think not. Carly Fiorina is not a great campaigner, she lacks the experience for being the de facto head of a major American party, and she shows no signs of knowing what the nation needs in a President.
So they're excluding her for being too similar to the other debaters?
.
Gail, you are correct about Shkreli, of course! Trump and Rubio as well. But your paragraph about Carly Fiorina should have been at the top of the list. It could have been its own column. What is the logic? The poll numbers -- which are hardly reliable in any event -- have been swinging wildly, so using them to determine who debates seems silly. It's also silly to have 9 candidates on stage, but that ship sailed in 2015.
Let Carly debate, I say. Did the Democratic race suffer from having Lincoln Chafee and Jim Webb on a debate stage? I think not. Carly Fiorina is not a great campaigner, she lacks the experience for being the de facto head of a major American party, and she shows no signs of knowing what the nation needs in a President.
So they're excluding her for being too similar to the other debaters?
414
mtf - No, you're missing the point; this is America, and in grand GOP'er tradition, they're excluding her just because they CAN. After all, they're GOP'ers, and what's the reason of forming a club or group or having an event if you can't exclude some people ? It's what GOP'ers do ! Democrats are the ones that are inclusive :)
16
People on the right believe women need to be kept in their place, and that is any place the men want them. I'll never understand strong women trying to swim in the conservative pool; they'll always be relegated to the shallow end.
9
Ahh come on. She´s jist a chick. A chick who made lots of dough firing people. That´s what guys do but its a bit unseemly coming from girls.
2
Keeping in mind that South Park has already explained our whole little snow globe down here is nothing more than an intergalactic reality show:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0705900/
when viewing the Iowa and New Hampshire circuses each 4 years, we fear cancellation of our series creeping closer and closer as viewers across the universe change channels due to the un-reality of it all :)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0705900/
when viewing the Iowa and New Hampshire circuses each 4 years, we fear cancellation of our series creeping closer and closer as viewers across the universe change channels due to the un-reality of it all :)
29
South Park deserves so much more respect . . .
3